Fuel oil spill in the Black Sea due to Russian tanker accident: losses could reach billions
Kyiv • UNN
A large-scale fuel oil leak has occurred in the Kerch Strait after the Russian tanker accident. Eleven dolphins and 143 birds were killed, and the oil slick continues to spread across the sea.
The damage to the Black Sea ecosystem caused by the Russian tanker accident that resulted in a fuel oil leak could amount to billions. The Environmental Inspectorate is calculating the damage. Viktor Komorin, director of the Ukrainian Scientific Center for Marine Ecology of the Ministry of Environment, told UNN.
Details
The expert noted that the tankers that sank were not connected to the global surveillance system. In other words, at first, when everyone learned that there was an emergency, it was not even known where exactly.
"The pollution spot comes from a point in the south of the Kerch Strait. Now the wind situation is changing, and the spot is already heading in our direction. And after that, according to our data, this oil pollution will go to the open sea. It will take a few days - tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, and then the wind situation will change again and (the pollution - ed.) will start spreading northward from the sunken part of the tanker again," Komorin said.
According to him, the Ukrainian Scientific Center for Marine Ecology does not know for sure the amount of fuel oil that remained in the sunken part of the tanker.
"But now we see from the media that a large number of birds have died. Dead dolphins have already been washed up on the coast," Komorin added.
When asked what estimated damage could be done to the Black Sea ecosystem, Komorin replied: "It's billions. The Environmental Inspectorate is already dealing with this, they are calculating the damage caused by this damage that has been done to the marine environment using the methods they have.
Addendum
On December 23, the Crimean Wind monitoring group, citing satellite imagery, reported that a large number of fuel oil spots were observed in the sea off the coast of Kerch after the Russian tanker accident on December 15.
In the Kerch Strait, two Volgoneft tankers were involved in an accident.
The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine reportedthat the accident of the Russian tankers would have catastrophic consequences for the Black Sea marine ecosystem.
Eight dead dolphins were found on the coast of Novorossiysk after a fuel oil spill from tankers. In total, 11 dolphins and 143 birds died.
