Oil slick covers around 390 square kilometres near Oman’s Hallaniyat Islands as authorities work to contain the leak.
MUSCAT, OMAN — Web Desk: A major oil slick has spread across roughly 390 square kilometres (150 square miles) off Oman’s southern coast following damage to the Caroline Bezengi, a tanker that had been carrying Russian crude oil.
Oman’s Environment Authority said Monday that it was working to address the leak in waters near the Hallaniyat Islands in Dhofar, with satellite imagery showing the slick extending northeast toward the mainland. The oil has come within approximately 7 kilometres of the shoreline, raising concerns about potential environmental damage.
The 274-metre tanker was damaged after its crew reported difficulties on June 8 near the southern Yemeni port of Mukalla. Maritime security sources said preliminary assessments indicated that an explosion had occurred aboard the vessel, although the precise cause of the damage remains unclear.
Oil slick continues to spread
Reuters analysis of satellite imagery and information from shipping specialists indicated that the spill was still spreading toward the end of July.
The tanker last transmitted a signal through public automatic identification system (AIS) tracking on June 11, while it was near Yemen. Shipping data showed that the vessel had loaded Russian crude before beginning its latest voyage.
The incident has drawn particular attention because the Caroline Bezengi is subject to sanctions imposed by the European Union and Britain over its alleged involvement in transporting Russian fuels.
Environmental concerns grow
The tanker has been associated with Russia’s so-called shadow fleet, a network of ageing vessels used to transport Russian oil while helping circumvent Western sanctions. Concerns have previously been raised over the condition and oversight of some vessels operating within the shadow fleet.
The proximity of the oil slick to Oman’s coast has heightened concerns over marine ecosystems around the Hallaniyat Islands and the wider Dhofar region.
Omani authorities have not publicly provided an explanation for what caused the tanker’s damage. The government’s latest assessment, however, confirms that the spill has reached a significant scale and remains an ongoing environmental threat.
