Krasnodar oil spill: Marine life devastation intensifies
Six dead dolphins have been washed ashore in the Krasnodar Region of Russia. According to the Shot channel, two more dead animals are in the sea. Since the oil spill from Russian tankers, a total of 11 dolphins and 143 birds have died.
Two Russian tankers, "Volgoneft 212" and "Volgoneft 239", were involved in an accident in the Kerch Strait on 15th December. The preliminary cause is believed to be incorrect actions by the crews amid challenging weather conditions.
Russian tanker disaster
The tankers were carrying approximately 10,000 metric tonnes of fuel oil. Most of the pollution has affected the coast of the Krasnodar Region. Fuel oil is a dense, viscous liquid resulting from the distillation of crude oil.
After separating the lighter oil fractions, such as petrol, diesel, or kerosene, it is produced as a residue. Fuel oil is one of the heaviest and least processed petroleum products.
According to ecologists, in the last 24 hours, 875 birds have been rescued from the oil trap – weakened animals are being transported to rehabilitation centres.
Ornithologists estimate their recovery process will take two to three days, but even after rehabilitation, only a small number of individuals will survive. Several dead dolphins have also been discovered on the coast. Specialists are currently trying to determine the cause of their deaths, but preliminary findings suggest it may not be related to the oil spill.
Volunteers are still cleaning the coasts of the Krasnodar Region of petroleum products. Meanwhile, the issue with adequate equipment remains unresolved – it is not keeping pace with the work, which necessitates hand collection of oil in some areas.
Currently, 9,000 people are involved in beach cleaning – the military has also joined the volunteers to assist.
Volunteers have been recruited in Crimea, where specialists have identified several oil spill sites near the peninsula's coasts. Near Kerch, authorities have declared a state of emergency.
