Black Sea Spill

A bird covered in fuel oil hops weakly along the shore near Port Kavkaz, on the Russian coast of the Black Sea, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007. More than 30,000 birds have been killed by the thousands of tons of oil that leaked after a heavy storm broke a tanker apart Sunday in the strait connecting the Black and Azov Seas.

A Russian oil tanker that split apart is seen in the Strait of Kerch on Monday, Nov. 12, 2007. The tanker split apart Sunday in rough seas and spilled over 500,000 gallons of fuel oil into the strait connecting the Black and Azov Seas.

A Russian oil tanker that split apart is seen in the Strait of Kerch on Monday, Nov. 12, 2007. The spill from the tanker that split apart Sunday in the strait connecting the Black and Azov Seas is seen as potentially the worst environmental disaster in the region in recent years.

A part of the Russian shore on the Strait of Kerch is covered by a thick coating of the fuel oil that spilled from a tanker that split apart is seen on Monday, Nov. 12, 2007. The spill from the tanker that split apart Sunday in the strait connecting the Black and Azov Seas is seen as potentially the worst environmental disaster in the region in recent years.

A bird covered in fuel oil from a huge spill sits helplessly in the vast clumps of oil mixed with sand and seaweed on the shore near Port Kavkaz, on the Russian coast of the Black Sea, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007. More than 30,000 birds have been killed by the thousands of tons of oil that leaked after a storm broke a tanker apart Sunday in the strait connecting the Black and Azov Seas.

Workers gather up vast clumps of fuel oil, sand and seaweed after oil spilled from a tanker near Port Kavkaz, on the Russian Black Sea, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007. More than 30,000 birds have been killed by the thousands of tons of oil that leaked after a heavy storm broke a tanker apart Sunday in the strait connecting the Black and Azov Seas.

A dying bird covered in oil lies on the beach in Port Kavkaz, Russia, on the shores of the Black Sea Monday, November 12, 2007, after a heavy storm. The bodies of three sailors washed ashore Monday after the ferocious storm sank several ships, including an oil tanker, raising fears of severe environmental damage to the virtually landlocked sea.

Oil covers the beach on the Black Sea shore in Port Kavkaz, Russia, Monday, Nov. 12, 2007, after a heavy storm. As many as ten ships sank or ran aground in the Strait of Kerch and in the nearby area of the Black Seaas a result of the storm. A Russian tanker loaded with nearly 1.3 million gallons of fuel oil spewed half its cargo into the sea. Stormy weather was preventing emergency workers from collecting the spilled oil.

Mired In Muck — ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/Getty Images

A dying bird covered in oil lies on the shore of the Black Sea in Port Kavkaz, Russia, Monday, Nov. 12, 2007, after a heavy storm.

A Russian border guard watches over the Turkish cargo vessel Ziya Koc, Monday, Nov. 12, 2007, grounded on the Black Sea shore in the village of Kabardinka, Russia, after a heavy storm.

A Russian boarder guard watches over the Turkish cargo vessel Ziya Koc grounded on the shores of the Black Sea after a heavy storm Monday, Nov. 12, 2007, in the village of Kabardinka, Russia.

A Russian oil tanker sails through stormy seas in the Strait of Kerch, Saturday, Nov. 10, 2007. Several ships sank or ran aground during a fierce storm, including the tanker Volganeft-139, which spilled over 500,000 gallons of fuel oil into the strait which funnels into the Black Sea. Officials said it could be the worst environmental disaster in the region for many years and could take years to clean up.

The Russian-owned Vera Voloshina cargo ship is seen after running aground during a heavy storm, near the Black Sea resort of Sudak, Ukraine, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2007. As many as 10 ships sank or ran aground in the northern Black Sea region during a fierce storm, including the Volganeft-139, an oil tanker loaded with nearly 1.3 million gallons of fuel oil.

A crew member is seen evacuating the Russian-owned Vera Voloshina cargo ship after it ran aground during a heavy storm, near the Black Sea resort of Sudak, Ukraine, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2007. As many as 10 ships sank or ran aground in the northern Black Sea region during a fierce storm, including the Volganeft-139, an oil tanker loaded with nearly 1.3 million gallons of fuel oil.

A crew member, second from right, of the Russian-owned Vera Voloshina cargo ship, is seen after being rescued from the ship which ran aground during a heavy storm, near the Black Sea resort of Sudak, Ukraine, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2007.