There was an accident off the Russian coast last weekend.
The extent of environmental pollution is probably significantly higher than initially assumed.
Novorossiysk - In the Black Sea off Russia, an environmental disaster of much greater magnitude than previously assumed has occurred.
Last Saturday (August 7th) there was an accident while pumping oil into the Greek tanker "Minerva Symphony" at the Yuzhno-Ozerejewka sea terminal, six kilometers off the Russian coast.
The information about the magnitude of environmental pollution varies enormously.
Environmental disaster off Russia: Significantly more oil spilled into the Black Sea than initially assumed
On Monday (August 9), the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), the pipeline operator, spoke of around twelve cubic meters of leaked oil that is said to have entered the Black Sea in the accident.
The polluted area was estimated at 200 square meters.
CPC said the oil leak was under control.
The situation was "back to normal" on Sunday.
There is no danger to the population or to animals and plants in the sea.
On Wednesday (August 11), however, Russian researchers and the environmental organization WWF drew a completely different, much more drastic picture.
At 80 square kilometers, the oil spill is several hundred thousand times larger than the polluter company said, said the Russian Academy of Sciences after evaluating satellite images.
Environmental disaster in the Black Sea: Information from operators and observers differ enormously
"On August 8, the oil stain stretched from the coast to the open sea over a length of 19 kilometers," said the Russian scientists.
According to WWF findings, the oil spill already covered an area of 94 square kilometers on Sunday.
According to estimates by the environmental organization, at least 100 tons of oil entered the Black Sea as a result of the oil leak.
The WWF expert Aleksej Knischnikow told the AFP news agency that the oil spill is now drifting northwards.
He has already reached the Abrau-Djurso bathing area and can still get to the Utrisch nature reserve.
(ph / afp / dpa)