Third Tanker Sends Distress Call as Oil Washes Up on Russia's Black Sea Coast
In a developing environmental disaster, oil has been reported washing up along "tens of kilometres" of Russia's Black Sea coast after two aging tankers were severely damaged in the recent storm. A regional official has confirmed the spill; reports have emerged that another vessel is now in distress.
According to TASS news agency, the third tanker, Volgoneft 109, sent a distress signal near the port of Kavkaz in the Kerch Strait. Luckily, the vessel's hull is intact, no oil spill has occurred, and the crew members are reported to be safe.
The previous two incidents involved two tankers, Volgoneft 212 and Volgoneft 239, both over 50 years old:
- Volgoneft 212 broke in two on Sunday in the Kerch Strait.
- Volgoneft 239 ran aground just 80 meters from the shore near Taman, situated on the eastern side of the strait.
Scale of the Oil Spill
According to TASS, the two damaged ships collectively carried 9,200 metric tons (62,000 barrels) of oil products-a volume that set off a red flag about one of the worst environmental disasters to hit the Black Sea region in recent times.
A certificate seen by Reuters identified the third tanker, dating back to 1973, as from the same old fleet as those damaged.
It is here, along the coast between Temryuk and Anapa, that fuel oil deposits have already been discovered, according to the governor of the Krasnodar region, Veniamin Kondratyev.
While efforts to contain the oil spill are ongoing, the damage to marine ecosystems and coastal communities is a growing concern. The aging fleet's vulnerability raises urgent questions about the safety and monitoring of tankers operating in environmentally sensitive areas like the Black Sea.