Key facts
- A tanker named Caroline Bezengi is leaking oil off the coast of Oman.
- The tanker is flagged in Cameroon.
- The vessel is part of Russia's 'shadow fleet'.
- An estimated 800,000 barrels of oil are leaking.
- The spill has spread over 400 square kilometers.
- The incident is occurring in a marine protected area.
- The spill threatens marine life.
The Cameroon-flagged tanker Caroline Bezengi, a component of Russia's 'shadow fleet,' is currently leaking an estimated 800,000 barrels of crude oil into the Arabian Sea, approximately 150 miles off the coast of Oman. This incident has resulted in a significant oil slick covering an area of over 400 square kilometers. The spill is occurring within a marine protected area, raising serious concerns about the potential impact on local marine ecosystems and wildlife. The Caroline Bezengi is a sanctioned vessel, highlighting the risks associated with the opaque operations of Russia's shadow fleet, which is often used to circumvent international sanctions on Russian oil exports. The scale of the leak and its location in a sensitive environmental zone underscore the environmental hazards posed by aging tankers operating under lax oversight.