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Russian Warship Crane Capsizes in Crimea, Killing Two and Injuring Dozens

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Photo of Ivan Khomenko
Ivan Khomenko
News Writer
The floating crane PK-700 overturned at the Sevastopol Marine Plant on October 27, 2025. (Source: Astra)
The floating crane PK-700 overturned at the Sevastopol Marine Plant on October 27, 2025. (Source: Astra)

A heavy floating crane under construction capsized at the Sevastopol Marine Plant in the occupied Crimean port on October 27, killing two people and injuring at least 20 others, according to the local outlet ForPost.

The vessel, identified as the unfinished floating crane PK-700 Hryhoriy Prosyankin, overturned near the pier of the Sevastopol Marine Plant in the city’s Southern Bay. The incident occurred during lifting operations between 3:30 p.m. and 3:45 p.m., ForPost reported.

The Russian-installed governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev, confirmed the deaths, adding that emergency services and plant workers were “eliminating the consequences of the incident.” Russia’s Investigative Committee said it had opened a criminal case for violations of maritime safety regulations.

According to eyewitnesses cited by ForPost, several people fell into the water when the crane rolled over. Fifteen were rescued, including seven hospitalized with light or moderate injuries.

The PK-700 project was designed for shipbuilding and cargo operations with a lifting capacity of up to 700 tons and a displacement of about 6,200 tons. Construction began in November 2018 and was intended to be completed by 2020, but the project stalled due to financial difficulties.

A source familiar with the shipyard told ForPost that work on the crane was frozen in early 2023 when it was around 65 percent complete, citing rising costs of materials and energy tariffs. Funds originally allocated for the project were reportedly diverted to cover wage and budget shortfalls.

Earlier in August, a newly built Russian Navy tugboat, Kapitan Ushakov, sank during final outfitting at the Baltic Shipyard in St. Petersburg. The Project 23470 vessel capsized after flooding in the auxiliary machinery compartment, just months before it was due to join the Northern Fleet.

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