KRASNODAR, July 26. /TASS/: All crew members of the Nika Spirit tanker detained in Ukraine are in good health, a spokesperson for the vessel’s owner, Fos Shipping Management, told TASS. The crew members earlier returned to Russia from Ukraine.
"Everyone is fine, they didn’t suffer any injuries, no one used violence against them," the spokesperson said.
According to earlier reports, the tanker’s crew members have arrived in Krasnodar. The spokesperson noted that they had taken a flight from Moscow. "All sailors have returned to their home country, which is a good thing. They are now heading to their homes. Ten crew members come from the Krasnodar region," he added.
Tanker’s detention
On July 25, the Ukrainian Security Service said that it had detained Russia’s Nika Spirit tanker at the port of Izmail. According to the SBU, it actually was the Neyma tanker that had blocked the movement of Ukrainian ships during the Kerch Strait incident in November 2018.
According to Ukrainian border guards, the Nika Spirit tanker flying the Russian flag was identified at the port of Izmail through its IMO number and the Equasis information system as the Neyma tanker that had been used to shut the Kerch Strait.
The SBU added that a group of investigators and military prosecutors had searched the tanker with court permission, seizing documents, radio communication recordings made during the incident and logbooks. The tanker’s crew members were questioned.
In response, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that it was working to figure out the circumstances of the tanker’s detention in order to be able to take appropriate measures.
Kerch Strait incident
On November 25, 2018, three Ukrainian naval ships illegally crossed Russia’s border and tried to carry out some illegal actions in Russian territorial waters. They ignored legitimate demands to stop issued by vessels belonging to the FSB Border Service and the Black Sea Fleet, and continued maneuvering dangerously. In order to stop the Ukrainian ships, weapons had to be used. The three vessels were detained in Russian territorial waters.
A criminal investigation was opened into the border incident. The Ukrainian ships’ crew members were put into custody. They are charged with violating the Russian border under Article 322.3 of the Russian Criminal Code and may face up to six years in prison if found guilty.
