Ecological threat looms as Kerch Strait oil spill spreads
Dozens of kilometres of coastline were contaminated with fuel oil due to the disaster involving two Russian tankers in the Kerch Strait. Residents report animals dying in patches of fuel oil and beaches flooded with petroleum products.
According to the Izvestia daily, both ships should have been decommissioned 10–15 years ago, and one did not have the required documentation.
Crisis centre and state of emergency
The governor of Krasnodar Krai, Veniamin Kondratyev,, reported the disaster. He asked "federal colleagues" for help and noted that two crisis centres had been established to combat the effects of the oil spill.
During shoreline monitoring earlier today, patches of fuel oil were found along the coast. Petroleum products were reportedly washed ashore over dozens of kilometres, from Vesiolovka in the Temryuk district to the settlement of Blagoveshchenka in Anapa. In response, the governor ordered the establishment of crisis centers in both municipalities, managed by local authorities. Currently, 267 rescue service personnel are working on-site with 50 pieces of equipment, and additional resources and manpower will be deployed if needed.
Local blogger Yuri Ozarowski told the "Agency" in an interview that the scale of the pollution is much larger, and fuel oil patches are already visible in Anapa Bay.
The patch drifts with the current toward the central beach and is expected to reach Anapa Bay within a few hours. He explained that this could result in a significant disaster, as the substance would likely settle on the seabed in that area.
"Pearl of Russia" flooded with fuel oil
According to the Azov-Black Sea Environmental Prosecutor's Office, petroleum products were found on the shore near Vesiolovka, the settlement of Blagoveshchenka, and at the mouth of the River Mezypse, confirming Ozarowski's reports. Residents are posting photos and videos on social media of animals covered in fuel oil. One recording shows the "Pearl of Russia" beach flooded with fuel oil. According to the SHOT channel, over 4.2 million litres of fuel oil leaked into the Black Sea.
A local state of emergency has been declared in the Temryuk and Anapa regions due to the oil spill's consequences.
Fuel oil is a heavy petroleum product that remains a residue after distilling crude oil. It is a thick, oily liquid with a dark brown or black colour, often used as fuel in industry and transportation.
Tanker disaster in the Black Sea
Recall that on Sunday, December 15th, during a storm in the Kerch Strait, a disaster occurred involving the tankers Volgoneft 212 and Volgoneft 239. As a result, there was a fuel oil spill, which – according to Greenpeace experts – may result in the largest ecological disaster in the history of the Black Sea. Preliminary data indicates that over 4.2 million litres of petroleum products may have leaked into the sea (both ships carried over 9 million litres of fuel).
