A Russian coastal town has declared a state of emergency after a massive oil spill from two damaged tankers polluted its shoreline.
The incident, caused by a powerful storm, has raised environmental concerns and prompted a large-scale clean-up operation.
The storm, which struck on Sunday, split one of the tankers in half, causing it to sink, while the second vessel sustained serious damage and ran aground.
The Russian government confirmed that one crew member died from hypothermia, while 26 others were successfully rescued.
The town of Anapa, located in the Krasnodar region near the annexed Crimean peninsula, has been most affected. With a population of around 90,000, Anapa’s beaches are now contaminated with oil products, prompting local authorities to declare an emergency.
Officials reported that the spill has spread across at least 30 kilometres of coastline, leaving a devastating impact on the environment.
Sergei Shtrikov, the regional minister for emergency situations, said fuel has washed ashore, covering large stretches of the beach.
Svetlana Radionova, head of Russia’s natural resources agency, confirmed that the slicks originated from the sunken tanker and have since reached the Anapa district coastline.
The crisis has also led to a state of emergency being declared in four neighbouring towns. In response, 400 personnel have been deployed to manage clean-up operations along the polluted shorelines.
Footage shared online showed birds and vast beach areas covered in thick black oil, further emphasising the scale of the disaster.
Ukraine’s environmental ministry has expressed concern, warning that the spill threatens to cause severe and lasting damage to the Black Sea’s marine ecosystem.
Authorities in both regions are closely monitoring the situation as efforts to control the environmental fallout continue.
