Reuters reported that on January 4, Russia declared a state of emergency in Crimea amid serious pollution of coastal areas on both sides of the Kerch Strait due to an oil spill in the Black Sea last month.
The Kerch Strait lies between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, separating the Kerch Peninsula in Crimea from Russia's Krasnodar region.
Local authorities quickly launched a clean-up operation involving about 10,000 people. The Russian Emergencies Ministry said rescuers had cleared more than 86,000 tons of contaminated soil and sand.
According to environmental groups, pollution caused by the December 15, 2024 oil spill in the Black Sea has severely affected many animal species, including dolphins and seabirds.
Footage released by the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations shows excavators being deployed to assist workers in cleaning up the beach. Workers use shovels to scoop contaminated soil and sand into sacks, which are then loaded onto excavators and transported to a waste collection area.
The Russian Transport Ministry said the amount of oil spilled into the sea is estimated at about 2,400 tons, much lower than initial estimates.
On December 15, in bad weather conditions, two oil tankers Volganeft 212 and Volganeft 239 encountered an accident in the Kerch Strait due to high waves. Russian media reported that both ships were over 50 years old and were transporting a total of about 9,200 tons of oil (equivalent to 62,000 barrels) when the accident occurred.
Of the 14 crew members on the two ships, 13 were rescued and brought safely to shore, while one person was confirmed dead, according to the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry.
Immediately after the incident, the Volganeft 212 ran aground, while the Volganeft 239 drifted due to damage. However, on January 4, Reuters reported that the Volganeft 239 had completely sunk.
The oil identified in the December 15 incident was M100. This is a heavy oil that solidifies at temperatures of around 25 degrees Celsius. Unlike normal oils that float on the surface of water, M100 tends to sink to the bottom or remain suspended in the water column.
