“It was only when we arrived here that we understood how serious the scale of damage is. We are now removing the top layer, but there are a lot of small oil flecks. How to remove those later is unclear, I don’t imagine it is possible yet.”

December 21, 2024

The disaster will have a long-term consequences to the nature of the region as the oil penetrates the top soil layers, volunteers told Reuters.

The Kerch Strait separates southern Russia from Crimea, which Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014, and is a route for exports of Russian grain and fuel products.

One of the vessels split in half, and a crew member was killed, while the other ran aground. The two ships were carrying some 9,200 metric tons (62,000 barrels) of oil products in total, of which 40% is estimated to have leaked into the sea.

President Vladimir Putin has called the incident an ecological disaster.

The area provides an important habitat for seabirds and dolphins. Among the worst hit locations is Anapa, a popular tourist resort that is known for its golden, sandy beaches.
Source: Reuters