Russia has been criticized for using tankers in poor condition.
The area of the Kerch Strait separating Crimea and the Russian mainland is threatened by an oil accident. Two tankers were wrecked in the strait on Sunday in a heavy storm.
One of the ships ran aground. Another 55-year-old Volgoneft-212 vessel broke in two and sank.
of The Guardian according to which the ship had recently been renovated. According to the newspaper, it was cut in half and the halves were later welded together. The ship could have broken right at the weld.
The ships had a total of 9,200 tons of heavy fuel oil. According to the Russian authorities, oil has entered the sea, but it is not yet known how much. Rescue operations are being prepared.
According to the Ukrainian authorities, there is a “significant amount” of oil. An oil spill can cause an environmental disaster and destroy the ecosystem of the strait.
Russia has been criticized for using tankers in poor condition to transport oil.
Sources: AFP, Reuters