After the accident with the tankers Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239, the consequences of the environmental disaster in the Black Sea are still being eliminated. Experts believe that there are not enough resources to completely eliminate the spill, and specially protected areas remain unprotected.
In the Black Sea, work continues to eliminate the consequences of a fuel oil spill caused by the crash of two tankers in the Kerch Strait. An environmentalist monitoring the development of the situation spoke about problems that have not yet been resolved.
At the moment, fuel is being pumped out only from the stern of the Volgoneft-239 tanker, washed ashore. This area was reinforced with concrete blocks and an embankment was created. It was possible to completely pump out the fuel oil from one of the tanks, but no work has yet been carried out on the sunken parts of the tankers – they are limited only to diving inspection.
The expert emphasized that the main threat remains sunken parts of ships. As water temperatures rise, fuel oil fractions can rise to the surface, creating new problems for the ecosystem.
Of particular concern is the Tamano-Zaporozhye nature reserve, where millions of birds spend the winter. In January, oil products and dead birds were already discovered in the reserve. Fuel oil was also recorded in the area of the Azov Federal Reserve. According to experts, measures to protect these territories have not yet been taken, including the installation of booms.
“Now priority is given to cleaning beaches, which is understandable from the point of view of people, but for nature it is catastrophic. It seems that there are simply not enough people or equipment to cope with all the tasks at the same time,” the ecologist explained.
After the accident, environmental organizations developed an eight-step plan to eliminate the consequences of the disaster. Among the proposals are an increase in the number of Emergency Situations Ministry employees and equipment, as well as localization of the fuel oil spill. However, to date, only one point has been fulfilled – a federal-level emergency regime has been introduced.
According to data as of January 19, the number of participants in the liquidation has almost halved: now about 4,300 people and 730 pieces of equipment are involved in the operation, compared to 8,000 people and 800 vehicles in December 2024.
The petition, in which environmentalists demand the implementation of all proposed measures, was signed by more than 20,000 people.
More than a month has passed since the tanker crash, but the fuel oil spill continues to threaten the Black Sea. Environmentalists warn that if measures are not strengthened, this could result in long-term consequences for the region’s ecosystem.
Source: kedr.media *The Ministry of Justice recognized him as a foreign agent
Photo: Marina Sycheva / “Kedr”
