Oil Spill Disaster on the Russian Black Sea Coast

MOSCOW (Reuters) – An oil spill from damaged tankers has contaminated a long stretch of sandy beaches along the Russian Black Sea shoreline, polluting the air and threatening wildlife in one of the worst ecological disasters to hit the region in years.

Around 4,000 volunteers have been cleaning beaches near the resort city of Anapa from the spill from two tankers, which were damaged by a storm on Sunday, a local task force said.

The emergencies ministry stated that the clean-up operation stretched over 49 km (30 miles) of shoreline.

Numerous videos posted on social media showed birds floundering in oil, flapping their wings and struggling to fly. Black oil spots were also visible along the beaches.

> "It was impossible to breathe, I thought it was my car emitting the smoke… Oil has come to us. I can't go any further: it's oil, oil, oil," a man's voice said in a video posted on social media. Reuters could not verify the video which purported to show the consequences of the fuel oil spill along the sea coast.

The stricken tankers, both more than 50 years old, were carrying approximately 9,200 metric tons (62,000 barrels) of oil products in total, according to TASS news agency, but the scale of the leakage is still unknown.

The vessels were in the Kerch Strait between mainland Russia and Crimea, annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014, when they issued distress signals.

TASS news agency reported on Tuesday that a third tanker had issued a distress signal, but its hull remained intact, and there was no oil spillage; the crew was reportedly safe.

Russian authorities declared a state of emergency in several districts, including Anapa, a popular tourist destination near the Sea of Azov.

Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, appealed to volunteers for help:

> "Anapa is fighting the oil spill, saving beaches. The famous ones with the golden sand, which hundreds of thousands of tourists flock to every year," she wrote on her Telegram channel.
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> "City authorities are working. The Ministry of Emergency Situations is working. But we can't do it without the help of volunteers."