Over 150 Volunteers Cleaning Black Sea Oil Spill Suffer Major Health Issues, 1 Dead

Almost 150 volunteers cleaning up a massive oil spill along the Black Sea coast have required medical attention, according to health officials in Russia’s Krasnodar region.

The spill occurred on December 15, 2024, when two tankers carrying 9,200 metric tons of mazut, a heavy fuel oil, broke apart in severe storms near the Kerch Strait.

Krasnodar Region Health Minister Yevgeny Filippov reported that 146 volunteers sought medical treatment during the cleanup efforts. Three of them were hospitalised, while 142 received outpatient care.

Filippov did not specify the exact health problems but mentioned that no medical cases had been reported in Crimea, where the oil also spread. Six medical stations were set up in the affected areas, and mobile medical teams continued to patrol the cleanup zones.

Efforts to contain the Volganeft-239 oil spill continue with a new barrier in place. Cleanup ongoing in the Kerch Strait.

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Volunteers who helped with the cleanup reported various health issues. Many complained of skin burns from coming into contact with the viscous fuel oil, as well as nausea, headaches, breathing problems, and a taste of oil in their mouths.

Some volunteers even drank a medical sorbent solution, known as Polisorb, as a precaution during their work.

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