Environmental Alarm at the Black Sea: Russian Tanker Breaks in Two

A severe storm in the Black Sea led to a serious accident on Sunday, in which a Russian tanker broke apart and lost part of its 4,300-ton cargo of heavy fuel oil. This event could prove to be one of the worst environmental disasters in the region in recent years. The incident occurred about 8 kilometers from the coast, when the ship Volgodonsk 212 broke apart in stormy weather in the Kerch Strait, and the bow sank. According to emergency services, at least one crew member lost their life. Another ship, the Volgodonsk 239, ran aground shortly thereafter, having also sustained damage. It came to a halt in shallow water 80 meters from the coast near the port of Taman. Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed the cabinet to set up a task force to rescue the crews and manage the aftermath of the oil spill. In total, 13 crew members from the Volgodonsk 212 were evacuated, of whom 11 were hospitalized with hypothermia, including two in serious condition. The crew of the second tanker remained on board until Sunday evening due to poor weather conditions. Emergency services reported that the damaged ship was equipped with 'everything necessary for primary disaster relief.' Officials told the Russian news agency Interfax that a potential crew decision error and storm damage are being investigated as causes of the grounding. The tankers, built in the early 1980s, were primarily designed for river use and were only to navigate coastal waters in calm weather, according to Interfax. A film typical of oil catastrophes was increasingly visible on the water around the Volgodonsk 212, although exact data on the amount of spilled cargo is not available. Videos published on the social network Telegram showed the ship breaking apart in the waves as the water in the region turned black. The Kerch Strait is a significant route for Russia's agricultural and energy exports, including grain sold from occupied Ukrainian territory. Kyiv accuses Moscow of unlawfully claiming exclusive rights to the strait since the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014.