This is the moment people – including a child – on a Russian amphibious armoured vehicle have to jump to safety after it began to sink during a ceremony while crossing from Russia to Crimea.
The BRDM-2 vehicle was crossing the Kerch Strait in Crimea after setting off from the village of Taman, in southern Russia’s Krasnodar Krai as part of the ‘Road of Courage’ military ceremonies.
Two other amphibious vehicles were making the crossing but the BRDM-2 in the video began filling with water during the 15-kilometre (9-mile) crossing.
In the video, the people on board, including a child, can be seen on the vehicle and then jumping to safety to a nearby boat.
Local military spokesman Andrey Konnov told local news agency Ria Novosti that the vehicle had been affected by “strong currents” caused by “depth changes” in the straight which were amplified by “a strong side wind”.
Water began filling the vehicle and the five people had to be evacuated after around five kilometres (three miles).
The vehicle could not be saved and sunk in an area where depths reach around 7 to 8 metres (23 to 26 feet) according to Konnov who confirmed that divers had not yet located the sunken vehicle.
Divers will continue to work in the area to find the vehicle and remove it from the water.
He said there was no risk of a fuel spill and as the vehicle’s fuel tanks were sealed. It is unclear how long the tanks will remain sealed.
The ceremonies were being held to commemorate the Kerch-Eltigen Operation of November 1943.
The operation saw the Red Army launch an amphibious offensive to cross into Crimea and force the withdrawal of German troops from the area.
The BRDM-2 was mass-produced in the USSR from 1963 to 1989 and as of 2016 more than 2,000 of the vehicles were in use in the Russian army.
Crimea is recognised as being part of Ukraine by the United Nations despite Russia annexing it in 2014.
Armored vehicle sank during a patriotic action 
The saving of armored vehicle crue
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Story By: Sergiu Nazaru, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
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