Captain of tanker that sank in Kerch Strait remanded in custody.
More than 5,000 people and 184 pieces of equipment are working on the coast, and fuel oil continues to spread.
The captain of the Volgoneft-212 tanker, which sank in the Kerch Strait, has been remanded in custody for two months following the accident that caused the death of a sailor.
Leonid Volegov, 37, faces charges of violating traffic safety rules and the operation of maritime transport. His detention will last until February 17, 2025. The captain of the Volgoneft-239, which was also affected and ran aground near the port of Taman, is under house arrest.
The Investigative Committee in Crimea reports that at the request of the investigation, the captain of the Volgoneft-212 was detained due to the death of a crew member under Part 2 of Article 263 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, while the captain of the Volgoneft-239 is charged under Part 1.
Currently, 10.5 kilometers of coastline in Anapa have been cleaned, with more than 850 tons of sand and oil products being removed. More than 5,000 people and 184 pieces of equipment are working on the coast, and fuel oil continues to spread.
The first death of a dolphin was reported today, which suffocated after being caught in a slick of diesel fuel. In addition, a center for helping birds affected by the spill has been opened in Anapa. Volunteers and veterinarians are cleaning contaminated birds and providing assistance.
The Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239 tankers, loaded with fuel oil, sank on December 15 during a storm. It is estimated that at least 3.7 thousand tons of fuel oil spilled into the sea, out of a total of more than 8,000 tons on board. At the time of the accident, one of the 27 crew members died while in the hold, unable to escape.
The area affected by the fuel oil currently extends for 49 kilometers, and both employees of the Ministry of Emergencies and numerous volunteers are involved in the clean-up operation.