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Russian Tanker Catches Fire In Caspian Sea, 1 Killed


A fire broke out on a Russian oil tanker on the Caspian Sea, killing one crew member.

Russian and Azerbaijani emergency officials said April 23 that rescuers used boats and helicopters to battle the blaze on the ship, the Palflot 2.

A total of 10 crew members were evacuated from the ship, which was in the territorial waters of Turkmenistan when the fire broke out. It was unclear what caused the blaze.

The Caspian Sea holds some of the world’s largest oil and gas deposits.

Long-running efforts to build undersea pipelines and reduce the reliance on tankers have been hampered by seabed ownership disputes among the five countries that border the sea.

Based on reporting by TASS and Interfax

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