Disaster in Kerch Strait: Massive oil spill threatens environment
As a result of the tanker accident on December 15 in the Kerch Strait, which caused a heavy fuel oil spill, at least 220,000 tons of soil were contaminated, reported the British daily "Guardian" on Monday, citing Russian authorities.
On December 15, a serious accident involving two Russian tankers, Volgoneft 212 and Volgoneft 239, occurred in the Kerch Strait. They were transporting about 9,900 tons of heavy fuel oil (a type of hazardous heating oil for the environment). Due to the storm, the Volgoneft 212 split in half and sank, while Volgoneft 239 ran aground.
Russian authorities state that 40 percent of the tankers' cargo leaked into the sea, but non-governmental organizations suggest that the actual scale of the spill could be much greater. The Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Aleksandr Kozlov, confirmed that as a result of the spill, "even 220,000 tons of soil may have been contaminated."
According to official data, one person died as a result of the Volgoneft 212 fracture, and 11 were hospitalized. The crew of Volgoneft 239 was safely evacuated. Authorities have launched criminal proceedings regarding violations of safety and transportation regulations.
Baltic Sea also at risk?
Volgoneft 212 and Volgoneft 239 are vessels built in the late 1960s and early 1970s, which means both tankers were heavily worn. Their age and technical condition raise concerns about operational safety.
The Ukrainian branch of Greenpeace warns that similar disasters could occur in the Baltic Sea, where tankers of the Volgoneft type are part of the so-called "shadow fleet." According to Greenpeace, this fleet bypasses sanctions by illegally selling Russian resources. EU countries are working together to prevent potential disasters by implementing controls and new sanctions against the Russian "shadow fleet."
Earlier, the governor of the Krasnodar region, Veniamin Kondratyev, informed that it will take about a month to remove the effects of the ecological disaster. Volunteers are doing what they can to save affected birds and marine animals.
