Ecologists criticized the statements of the authorities of Kuban about the absence of pollution on the coast.

Authorities' statements about the absence of oil spills after the fire on the Aframax Rio tanker are premature; pollution of the shore is inevitable, ecologists believe. The "Transparent World" project records oil stains along the coast of Kuban, and volunteers find soiled birds on the beaches.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", volunteers discovered several more birds soiled with oil products along the coast of Krasnodar Krai after the fire on the Aframax Rio tanker. In Sochi, no oil product spills were found, and there are no affected birds, the authorities claimed. Since October 13, a "Heightened Readiness" regime has been introduced in Krasnodar Krai due to the threat of oil product spills within the boundaries of Gelendzhik and Novorossiysk.

Monitoring results contradict the authorities' statements about the absence of oil product spills on the shore, ecologists and volunteers told "Caucasian Knot".

Specialists from the "Transparent World" project analyzed a radar image from October 10 and identified a large oil spill on the sea surface between Arkhipo-Osipovka and Novorossiysk. A new image taken on the day of October 12 was compared with the previous one. Over two days, the pollution noticeably fragmented and spread further along the coast.

"The pollution is likely related to the Aframax Rio tanker, which was previously affected off the coast of Sochi. The trail extends northwest along the shore," the organization told "Caucasian Knot".

Traces are recorded in the area of Novorossiysk Bay and offshore mooring devices, further towards Anapa. The image shows individual elongated and torn sections of the polluted surface. Specialists predicted that the pollution could reach the exit from the Tsukrova Bay; the movement of oil stains is influenced by wind direction.

Information about affected birds is coming from various points along the Black Sea coast, confirmed ecologist Georgy Kavanoyan. "On the coast from Sochi to Anapa, individual soiled birds continue to be found. This is a direct consequence of the appearance of an oil film in the sea after the incident with the tanker," he told "Caucasian Knot".

At the Anapa rehabilitation center "Zhemchuzhnaya", it was confirmed that they received three black-necked grebes, completely soiled with oil products. "The situation is worsening; volunteers from the coast report new finds, and we are preparing to receive about ten more soiled birds. We are in dire need of hands for cleaning and caring for the birds, so we ask concerned citizens to come to the center and help," said representatives of the center.

Specialists predicted possible consequences

There is currently very little information to assess the damage to nature, notes ecologist Alexander Emelyanov.

"The fire on the tanker led to the potential damage to the natural environment being redistributed from the marine ecosystem to the atmosphere. At the same time, too many questions remain. Oil was leaking from the vessel, but the speed is not established. The thickness of the oil film on the water is also unknown, and it is precisely from this that the completeness of fuel combustion depends. Controlled burning is sometimes used to eliminate spills, but in the absence of ideal conditions, a huge amount of incomplete combustion products is formed. Soot and fine particles are released into the air, settling in the lungs and practically not excreted from the body, along with which dangerous polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons spread," he explained to "Caucasian Knot".

Reports from the authorities about the absence of exceedances of maximum permissible concentrations in Sochi do not reflect the picture, the ecologist is convinced. "The vessel drifted along the coast towards Lazarevskoye and Tuapse, and the smoky plume can be carried over huge distances depending on the wind, as was already the case during the fire in Tuapse," he pointed out.

Ecologist Alexey Machalov called the conclusions about the absence of spills premature and noted the nature of the oil stain's movement. "The authorities' statements that everything is clean on the shore and there will be no consequences are absolutely premature, as the incident is ongoing. We see real oil spills from satellite images. Oil product spills on the shore are inevitable," he told "Caucasian Knot".

Trusting the authorities' statements about the absence of exceedances of maximum permissible concentrations is not advisable, the ecologist points out, reminding of similar accidents in Tuapse. The oil film and combustion products cannot safely dissolve or settle in the sea without severe consequences.

"In recent years, the Black Sea coast has already suffered from the disaster in the Kerch Strait and prolonged fires in Tuapse, and the new spill adds to this cumulative effect, striking the marine fauna, microorganisms, and dolphins. Conducting a full reclamation of the beaches is technically almost impossible, as fuel oil and leachate quickly penetrate through sand and gravel into the ground for meters, entering the coastal water cycle. Even if the plume settles, with every heat and storm, toxic substances will be washed out and evaporate, causing the restoration of the ecosystem to take decades," Machalov explained.

Speaking about the possible danger to residents, Machalov urged people not to consume fish and seafood caught in the accident area and not to stay on the beaches for long.

Kuban ecologist, wishing to remain unnamed and closely monitoring the situation with the tanker, also called the authorities' statements about the absence of threat premature. According to him, the risks to the Black Sea ecosystem are deferred.

"The oil film, under the influence of currents and wind, can remain in open sea for days, while spills will begin to arrive locally and with a delay on the shore. The fact that volunteers are already recording soiled birds directly indicates that pollution of the water area has occurred and is transforming. The official monitoring by the authorities deserves extreme distrust, as officials traditionally speak of ideal water samples," he said.

A twenty-kilometer oil plume will not disappear without a trace, the interlocutor added. "Such oil products partially evaporate, but heavy fractions settle to the bottom or drift along the Black Sea current, which is why their spills on the coast of Kuban are quite possible with a change of wind. The combustion products of the tanker and the burned fuel oil, which poisoned the water during firefighting, create a colossal toxic load," the ecologist explained.