Since last month’s oil spill from a Russian tanker in the Black Sea, over two dozen marine mammals have perished, according to a report from a dolphin rescue centre on Sunday. This incident has prompted urgent efforts by authorities to mitigate the environmental impact.
The crisis commenced on December 15 during a storm in the Kerch Strait, severely impacting two old Russian tankers. One tanker sank, and the other was stranded, releasing approximately 2,400 tonnes of heavy fuel oil, mazut, into the sea.
The Delfa Centre, dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of dolphins, noted that 61 cetaceans, including whales, dolphins, and porpoises, have died since the spill, with 32 likely casualties of the contamination. “The state of the bodies suggests that most died within the first ten days following the disaster,” the centre stated, adding that the majority were Azov dolphins, a type of harbour porpoise.
On Sunday, Russia’s emergency ministry reported ongoing efforts to address the spill’s consequences, highlighting challenges posed by adverse weather conditions that have spread the oil to some beaches.
Volunteers actively remove contaminated soil from affected beaches in Crimea and Russia’s southern coast.
