Russian Navy landing ship Yamal collided with Sierra Leone-flagged container ship M/V Orca 2 in the Aegean Sea on December 30, the Russian defense ministry said in a statement to news agency TASS.
No one was injured in the collision according to the Russian Navy, but photos shared by shipspotters on social media show the navy ship had sustained considerable damage to its port side amidships.
M/V Orca 2 was en route to Turkish port of Gemlik when it veered starboard and hit Yamal during an “overtaking maneuver”, the Russian Navy said. The collision took place in the Aegean Sea, northwest of Rhodes port, and both ships continued on to their destinations.
While the incident took place on December 30, the Russian Navy acknowledged it only after photos of the damage appeared on social media on January 9.
Yamal is currently moored at the Sevastopol Shipyard where it will undergo repairs.
#ВМФ #ЧФ ?? #Russian #Navy Re-mooring of the landing ship RFS 156 ‘Yamal’ from the military pier to the #Sevastopol Shipyard for repairs after collision with another vessel. January 10,2018 pic.twitter.com/0kxBsxOPDj
— Capt(N) (@Capt_Navy) January 10, 2018
According to Bosphorus shipspotter Yörük Işık, RFS 156 ‘Yamal’ was frequently tasked with carrying weapons and supplies from Russia to the Syrian port of Tartus, having made 10 trips in 2017.