Two Russian Tanker Ships Hit By Storm Spilled Oil In The Kerch Strait

UNSPLASH/Athanasios ILLUSTRATION Papazacharias

JAKARTA - Two Russian tankers that spilled oil into the Kerch Strait after being damaged by a severe storm, on Sunday, carried 9,200 metric tons (62,000 barrels) of oil.

How much fuel is leaking is being analyzed, said TASS. Volgoneft 212 carried about 4,900 tons of fuel oil at the time, and Volgoneft 239 carried 4,300 tons.

Reported by Reuters on Monday, December 16, Russia's emergency ministry said 14 crew members of Volgoneft 239 were rescued. The ship ran aground 80 meters from the shoreline near the port of Taman.

The Kerch Strait, which separates mainland Russia from Moscow's annexed Crimea, is the main route for export of Russian fuel grains and products.

This spill has the potential to be one of the biggest environmental disasters affecting the region in recent years.

On Sunday, a crew member died after Volgoneft 212 split in two and his bow sank. The other eleven were taken to a local hospital.

President Vladimir Putin ordered his subordinates to form a working group to deal with rescue operations and reduce the impact of the spill, the Russian news agency quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying.