A Russian oil tanker split in half in a fierce storm in the
Kerch Strait leading to the Black Sea on Sunday, spilling at least
2,000 tons of fuel oil, Interfax reported.
A map locating the
Kerch Strait -- between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. A
Russian oil tanker split in half in a fierce storm in the Kerch
Strait leading to the Black Sea on Nov. 11, spilling at least 2,000
tons of fuel oil.
"It is a large-scale environmental disaster which will take a
long time to deal with. But in a year, and even in a more distant
future the impact of the damage will be felt," Interfax quoted
Vladimir Slivyak, head of the ECO-Zashchita, a public environmental
protection watchdog, as saying.
The storm, with wind blowing at over 18 meters per second, has
torn a barge, the Demetra, loaded with 3,000 tons of fuel oil, from
its anchor and is carrying it away, Interfax reported on Sunday
afternoon, citing an emergency headquarters spokesman from Port
Kavkaz.
The storm has also sunk two Turkish freighters and another cargo
ship which was carrying over 2,000 tons of sulfur, local emergency
department sources said.
Fuel oil is seen on the shore
near Russia's southern port of Kavkaz November 11,
2007.
(Xinhua News Agency November 12, 2007)
