The death of thousands of sea urchins and starfish in a bay near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky last month was most likely caused by a powerful storm, prosecutors said Friday.
Water and marine life samples from Avachinskaya Bay did not show any sign of chemical, radioactive or bacteriological contamination, the inter-regional environmental prosecutor's office said.
The authorities did not find any evidence that illegal activity caused the mass deaths, Interfax reported.
In October, vast amounts of dead sea urchins and starfish washed up on the shore near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the capital of Russia's far eastern Kamchatka region.
Sixty-five dead sea urchins and 12 dead starfish per square meter were found along a 250-meter long stretch of coastline.
At the time, scientists believed that the bay could have been contaminated as a result of industrial waste discharges.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
