Oil spill of 840,000 square meters discovered near Odesa region coastline

A large oil spill has been discovered in the Black Sea near the coastline in Ukraine's Odesa region; the press service of the Prosecutor's Office of Odesa region reported that the area of the oil spill is more than 840,000 square meters.

The prosecutor's office said that water pollution was caused by the spillage of oil products from the Nikolai Bauman, a ship that sunk near the Starostambulsky delta of Danube, in Kiliysky district of Odesa region. Relevant state agencies at the request of the prosecutor's office are checking the volume of oil products spilled in the sea and estimating the damage caused by the spill. The prosecutor's office has opened a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 243 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (pollution of sea) and Part 1 of Article 242 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (violation of rules of water preservation). As reported, the Nikolai Bauman ship sailing under the Moldavian flag sunk near the Starostambulsky delta of Danube, in Kiliysky district of Odesa region. All members of the crew (11 people, all citizens of Moldova) were rescued. The ship was sailing from Turkey to Kherson carrying gypsum. Water came over the bow of the ship and started to flood the ship's holds. The captain sent a distress signal and tried to beach the vessel, but failed. The dry cargo ship then sank. The ship was 40 years old. It belongs to Danube Shipping Ltd.