MUSCAT — An oil tanker stranded off Oman is leaking crude into the Arabian Sea, with satellite imagery showing the spill has expanded sharply as the vessel appears to be sinking further, raising concerns about pollution in a protected marine area.
The 274-metre Caroline Bezengi has been grounded near Qibliyah Island in Oman’s Dhofar governorate since June after its crew reported difficulties and an apparent explosion onboard, according to maritime security sources cited by Reuters. The tanker had been carrying Russian crude before its voyage.
Satellite images reviewed by The Associated Press showed the vessel increasingly submerged and an oil slick spreading from the tanker toward Qibliyah Island. Environmental expert Wim Zwijnenburg of Dutch organization PAX estimated the spill covered nearly 800 square kilometres as of Aug. 7, up sharply from earlier estimates. Greenpeace Germany separately assessed that the slick had grown from about 45 square kilometres in late July to roughly 600 square kilometres by Aug. 4.
The affected waters form part of the Arabian Sea reserve, a protected marine area that supports wildlife including endangered petrels and the Arabian Sea humpback whale, according to the AP report. Satellite imagery dated Aug. 5 showed the tanker partly submerged and an oil sheen extending northeast from the vessel.
Oman said on Thursday that it was sending response teams to the tanker to limit potential environmental damage. The Oman News Agency said authorities were monitoring the area using satellite imagery, field surveys and technical models, and that teams were prepared to take measures to address potential effects on marine life and navigation safety.
The extent of any active salvage or containment operation remained unclear. The tanker’s registered owner, Rentoor Shipmanagement Ltd, and manager, Villar Shipmanagement Ltd, both appear to be based in China, according to LSEG data. Reuters said it could not immediately reach the companies for comment.
The Caroline Bezengi is under Western sanctions for its role in transporting Russian oil, and satellite and shipping data indicate it had sailed from Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk before the incident. The cause of the explosion and subsequent grounding has not been independently established.
As of Aug. 9, Omani authorities continued monitoring the vessel and surrounding waters while the reported oil spill was spreading across an increasingly large area.
