RUSSIA: Russia's environmental watchdog warns of ecological disaster in the Sea of Azov

Record ID: 343629

  • Title: RUSSIA: Russia's environmental watchdog warns of ecological disaster in the Sea of Azov
  • Date: 16th November 2007
  • Summary: (EU) (STRAIT OF KERCH) (NOVEMBER 14, 2007) (REUTERS) AERIALS OF BROKEN OIL TANKER AND OIL LEAKING IN SEA AERIALS BLACK PATCHES OF OIL FLOATING ON SEA, BIRDS FLYING AERIALS OF SUNKEN TANKER IN SEA
  • Embargoed: 1st December 2007 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes,Environment / Natural World
  • Reuters ID: LVA35OTMZXOFUOX93PKZ5RS1AXR
  • Story Text: Russia's environmental watchdog has warned urgent measures are needed to avoid a potential ecological disaster in Sea of Azov after an oil tanker broke up in a severe storm last weekend.
    A fuel oil spill from a Russian tanker into the Black Sea is now killing dolphins, and the nearby Sea of Azov may suffer heavy pollution if urgent measures are not taken, Russia's environmental watchdog said on Thursday (November 15).
    A once-in-a-century storm broke up the tanker on Sunday and sank at least four freighters while crippling other vessels in the narrow Kerch Strait between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. Four seamen were drowned and four others are still missing.
    Oleg Mitvol, deputy head of state environment watchdog Rosprirodnadzor, said the oil had polluted a 50 kilometre (30 mile) long stretch of the Black Sea coastline and rescue workers would have to remove 10,000 tonnes of oily sludge from the shore.
    Mitvol said around 1,500 tonnes of fuel oil were still afloat in the water, killing thousands of birds and fish.

    "Unfortunately, not only fish are facing problems, but sea mammals are affected as well. We have documented cases where dolphins have died. The problem is really serious," he told a news conference.
    He added that the dolphins and many of the birds affected are listed in Russia's Red Book of endangered species.
    Environmentalists say the Black Sea dolphin is on the verge of extinction. The United Nations Environment Programme declared 2007 the Year of the Dolphin.
    Mitvol said in the next few days, environmental experts from Belgium, Brazil and the United States would arrive in the area.
    The Kerch Strait separates the port of Kerch on Ukraine's Crimea Peninsula from Russia.
    Mitvol hit out at the head of the port, saying he had blocked storm-battered ships from using a channel alongside the port to reach calmer waters.
    Mitvol also alleged that Ukrainian environmental inspectors on Wednesday had tried to stop Russian clean-up workers who were pumping the remaining oil out of the tanks of the partially-sunken tanker.

    "Issues of independence of states should not get in the way when we face an ecological crisis, because we have only one planet," said Mitvol.
    He said Ukrainian authorities were resisting a Russian proposal to contain the oil spill by building a dam across one of the channels in the Kerch Strait.
    The area has been the subject of a territorial dispute between Russia and Ukraine. The two have had fraught relations since a 2004 bloodless revolution brought a Western-leaning president to power in Kiev.
    Russia's attempts to build a breakwater stretching from its southern Krasnodar Region to Tuzla sparked a fierce territorial dispute between Moscow and Kiev four years ago. The row is not yet resolved.
    jdm/jrc
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