Breaking News: A sanctioned tanker is leaking crude oil into protected waters near Oman, raising environmental concerns.
A sanctioned oil tanker, the Caroline Bezengi, is leaking crude oil off the coast of Oman, with a visible sheen now covering approximately eight square miles. The vessel, stranded since June following an onboard explosion, is breaching and listing, increasing the risk of a major spill. The incident is occurring within the Hallaniyat Islands, a protected marine reserve.
The leak, initially detected at Qibliyah Island, has worsened in recent days, according to satellite imagery reviewed by the Associated Press. Experts warn that monsoon season’s rough weather could cause the 899-foot Cameroon-flagged tanker to break apart, releasing its estimated 800,000 barrels of Russian crude. The Caroline Bezengi was sanctioned by the UK, EU, Canada and Switzerland for transporting Russian oil via Moscow’s “shadow fleet”, used to circumvent Western sanctions following the invasion of Ukraine, reported Reuters. Ship-tracking data indicates it loaded crude at Novorossiysk prior to the incident.
Greenpeace Germany reports oil has already polluted stretches of coastline and damaged the fragile ecosystem. Nina Noelle of Greenpeace Germany warned of “a serious risk of a much larger oil disaster, with even more devastating consequences”. The spill threatens endangered petrels and other rare wildlife within the marine reserve. The U.N.’s International Maritime Organization is monitoring the situation, noting the vessel remains intact but assessing risks. Oman’s government ordered the ship’s removal by July 23; it is unclear if this was actioned.
The incident highlights the difficulties in policing sanctions and the potential for environmental damage resulting from attempts to circumvent them. A failure to contain or remove the vessel could lead to a large-scale ecological disaster.
The situation remains fluid with the risk of the tanker breaking apart growing.
Sources: Fox News, The Associated Press, Reuters, Greenpeace Germany.
