We strongly condemn the terrorist attack on a civilian ship that could have caused not only the death of its crew, but also a large-scale environmental disaster,” Zakharova said in the statement released on Sunday by the Sputnik news agency.

Zakharova said these actions will not go unchallenged, adding that the perpetrators will be punished.

Earlier, the national agency for maritime and river transport, Rosmorrechflot, reported that the Russian tanker Sig suffered a hole in the right side of the hull, in the engine room area, while approaching the Kerch Strait from the south.

The attack caused no casualties, the tanker remained afloat and the 11-person crew managed to contain the incoming water in the engine room, but a tug and another vessel had to be sent to the Sig’s aid, among other things, to install floating barriers around it.

The Sig tanker is registered in the port of St. Petersburg; its owner is the Transpetrochart company. The vessel is 141 meters long by 16.9 meters wide and has a deadweight of 6,619 tons.

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