This is the moment a massive floating crane tipped over and sank in Russian-occupied Crimea’s key naval base, Sevastopol, in a huge blow to Vladimir Putin. The disaster killed two – identified as an electromechanic and a sailor – and left more than 20 injured. Seven were hospitalised, the city’s Moscow-installed Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev said on Monday (October 27).
The Russians have not revealed the cause, but a criminal case has been opened. The heavy-lifting 115-foot-tall floating crane, which took eight years to build, tipped over and sank as it was being tested, and has never been put into service. Sevastopol is the home of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, which has been decimated during the war by Ukrainian attack drones.
A “violation of safety regulations governing the operation and navigation of maritime transport” is suspected.
The Russian sunken crane, costing millions of pounds, weighed 2,927 tonnes.
It had a lifting capacity of 400 tonnes but keeled over lifting half this weight, suggesting a major design fault, although sabotage has not been ruled out.
The crane had been intended for use in the construction of nuclear submarines and the repair of large surface vessels at Sevmash.
However, the project had faced several delays. According to reports, the Sevastopol Marine Plant was unable to complete construction on its own due to financial problems.
In 2023, plans were made to dismantle the unfinished hull and transport it to Sevmash in Severodvinsk for completion, as the crane was only about 65% finished at that time. Local outlet Forpost reported that the crane was originally set for delivery by the end of 2020, but work was stopped because of funding issues.