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Kerch Strait

On 10 and 11 November 2007 a severe storm hit the Kerch Strait, located between Ukraine in the west and Russia in the east and linking the Sea of Azov (in the north) to the Black Sea (in the south). Winds of over 110 km/h caused waves over 5 metres high in a sea where the depth varies from 7 to 12 metres.

Localisation of the Kerch Strait (Source: Wikipédia)
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Many vessels ignored the Ukranian severe weather warning and found themselves in very rare sea and weather conditions for this region.

These conditions caused serious damage to around ten vessels, most of which were anchored. At least 4 sailors are known to have died and 19 others went missing.

On 11 November 2007, four vessels sank in the Kerch Strait:

- The Russian tanker Volgoneft-139 broke in two whilst carrying 3,500 tonnes of fuel oil. A spill of about 1,300 tonnes came from the tanks of the back part of the tanker "Volgoneft-139" and the 1,000 tonnes of oil that remained onboard were pumped out before the vessel was towed to Kavkaz Harbour. Slight residual leakage from the grounded front part was reported, where about 1000 tonnes of oil remained onboard.

- The Russian vessel Volnogorsk was shipwrecked and now lies at a depth of 10.6 m with 2,500 tonnes of sulphur on board. There is no observed leakage of marine diesel oil.

- The Russian vessel Nahichevan sank to a depth of 9.5 m with 2,400 tonnes of sulphur on board.

- The Russian vessel Kovel, with 2,100 tonnes of sulphur onboard, drifted towards the Ukrainian shoreline and sank almost in the middle of the channel to a depth of 9.3 m. Divers surveying the wreck observed a slight fuel leak due to the destruction of the engine compartment.

The total amount of oil spilt was estimated at 1,300 tonnes of heavy fuel oil, 2.3 tonnes of oil lubricants, 25 tonnes of marine diesel oil and 5.5 tonnes of heating oil.

Accident area : Kerch strait

Cause of spill : severe storm

Type of pollutants : heavy fuel oil, light fuel oil, diesel marine oil, oil lubricants and sulphur

Quantities spilled : heavy fuel oil: 1, 300 tonnes, light fuel oil: 5.5 tonnes, diesel marine oil: 25 tonnes, oil lubricants and sulphur: 2.3 tonnes

Localisation don sinkings (Source : Black Sea Commission)
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Last update: April 2006