Two Missing After Russian Tanker Collides With Fishing Vessel Off Barcelona

Boats search for the fishing vessel El Fairell, which sank Monday after colliding with a Russian tanker off the coast of Barcelona, Spain. Photo: Salvamento Maritimo

A major search is underway in Spain for two people still missing after a Russian tanker collided with a fishing vessel off the coast of Barcelona on Monday.

Spanish authorities report that the Russian-flagged tanker MID Volga 2 had just left the port of Barcelona when it collided with the fishing boat El Fairell approximately 3 nautical miles from the port on Monday afternoon, causing the fishing boat to sink.

Two other crewmembers of the El Fairell were rescued and taken to a hospital ashore.

On Tuesday, search and rescue crews brought in an ROV to search the wreck El Fairell, which is located at depth of about 170 meters.

The search so far has involved a number of air and sea SAR assets, including the emergency rescue and standby vessel Clara Campoamor which the ROV will launch from. 

The El Fairell measures 25 meters in length and is about 35 gross tonnes. The vessel was homeported in Barcelona 

The MID Volga 2 was built in 2014 and is 4,979 gross tonnes. 

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