Environmental Consequences for the Crimean Peninsula Following the Russian Tanker Incident in the Kerch Strait on December 15, 2024

On December 15, 2024, in the southern part of the Kerch Strait near Cape Takil, the tanker Volgoneft-212, carrying 4,252 tonnes of fuel oil, suffered a severe accident due to stormy weather. The vessel broke into two parts, resulting in the death of one crew member out of 13. Simultaneously, the tanker Volgoneft-239, carrying 4,300 tonnes of fuel oil and manned by 14 crew members, also sustained significant damage. Under the force of the waves, the vessel split, with its stern section — carrying the crew — drifting toward Cape Panagia, where it eventually sank to the seabed.  

Initial reports estimated that approximately 2,400 to 3,700 tonnes of fuel oil spilled into the sea as a result of the accidents involving both tankers.6 This incident represents the world’s first recorded spill of M-100 fuel oil — a substance that solidifies at +25°C, is denser than water, and either sinks to the seabed or remains suspended in the water column, making its removal extremely challenging. 

The accidents caused significant pollution along the Black Sea coastline. The affected areas include the shores of Russia’s Krasnodar Krai and temporarily occupied Crimea, stretching from Taman Island to Sevastopol and the village of Popivka—a total of approximately 500 kilometers of coastline. 

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