Vadym Oleynik, a Ukrainian fitness influencer, apologised after video showed him sitting on a sea turtle at Ras Al Hadd, Oman. Oman's Environment Authority said on Sept. 27 it had initiated legal action for conduct that disturbed sea turtles but provided no further details. The Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve, established in 1996, is an internationally important nesting site with guided viewing to prevent disturbance. Conservation groups amplified criticism, and authorities urged the public not to touch or approach nesting turtles and to report violations.
Fitness Influencer Apologizes After Sitting on Endangered Sea Turtle; Oman Says Legal Action Underway
Image Credit: Vadym Oleynik / Instagram.
A Ukrainian fitness creator has apologized after video footage showed him sitting on a large sea turtle on the sands of Ras Al Hadd in Oman — footage that prompted Oman's Environment Authority to say it had launched legal action.
Who and what: Vadym Oleynik, a fitness influencer with more than 200,000 Instagram followers, originally posted the clip showing him seated on the turtle's shell. His partner, Olena Kravchenko, also appears in images and clips circulating online that show the pair interacting with turtles and hatchlings.
Oleynik later removed the original post, but copies spread across social platforms and were reshared by outlets including Channel 5 News. In some clips the turtle can be seen moving beneath him as he sits on its carapace.
Official Response
On Sept. 27, Oman's Environment Authority said it was monitoring the circulating video and that the behaviour breached the country's wildlife-protection laws and regulations. The agency said "necessary legal action" had been initiated but did not name the individual, specify charges, or disclose details of the legal measures.
Reports that Oleynik and Kravchenko were detained circulated online; however, Omani officials have not publicly confirmed any detention or released the outcome of the legal action.
Apology and Reaction
After the clip spread, Oleynik posted an apology reported by PEOPLE, addressing Oman’s Environment Authority and the organisation responsible for protecting green sea turtles. He said, "I didn't see the rules. I made a mistake," and added that he did not intend to harm the animal.
Conservation-focused accounts such as Biologicamente amplified criticism and helped bring the footage to broader attention.
Conservation Context
Ras Al Hadd sits adjacent to the Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve, a coastline described by the reserve as an internationally important nesting area for endangered green turtles. Established in 1996, the reserve maintains controlled public access and offers guided nighttime and dawn excursions to let visitors observe nesting without disturbing the animals.
In response to the viral footage, the Environment Authority reiterated that visitors should not touch, approach, or otherwise disturb sea turtles at nesting sites. The agency said it will not tolerate practices that harm wildlife or threaten natural habitats and urged the public to report violations.
Oleynik, who lists himself online as a fitness coach based in Abu Dhabi, has continued posting on Instagram since the incident. Omani authorities have not provided further public updates about the legal action.
Note: This report summarises available information; officials have not released full details on the legal steps mentioned by the Environment Authority.
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