KRASNODAR, December 23. /More than 10,000 people are currently working to address the aftermath of an oil spill from damaged tankers in the Kerch Strait area of the Black Sea, Russian Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Alexander Kozlov stated at a meeting of the operational headquarters.

"A working group of over 10,000 people was assembled to carry out emergency response efforts," the administration of the Krasnodar Region quoted Kozlov as saying.

The operation involves 366 units of equipment, including 270 items of special equipment actively involved on the site of work to eliminate the oil spill.

On December 15, the Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239 tankers sank in the Kerch Strait area of the Black Sea amid a storm. One sailor died, and the rest were evacuated. According to emergency services, the tankers were carrying about 9,200 tons of fuel oil. An oil spill occurred in the Black Sea as a result of the accident, and clean-up operations are underway.