Key facts
- A Cameroon-flagged tanker, the Caroline Bezengi, part of Russia's 'shadow fleet,' is leaking oil off Oman's coast.
- The spill originated from the vessel after it sustained damage, with potential explosions reported in June.
- The oil slick has spread to approximately 400 sq km, impacting a marine protected area near the Hallaniyat Islands.
- The tanker is sanctioned by Ukraine, the EU, the UK, Canada, and Switzerland for circumventing Western sanctions on Russian oil.
- Omani authorities have activated a national contingency plan to address the environmental disaster.
A Cameroon-flagged tanker, identified as the Caroline Bezengi and part of Russia's 'shadow fleet,' has been leaking an estimated 800,000 barrels of oil into a marine protected area off the coast of Oman since late July. The vessel, sanctioned by multiple Western countries for its role in circumventing sanctions on Russian oil, sustained damage, with reports of explosions occurring in June. The resulting oil slick has spread to approximately 400 square kilometers (150 square miles), threatening critical marine habitats, including nesting sites for sea turtles and breeding grounds for seabirds, as well as the rare Arabian Sea humpback whale. Omani authorities have activated a 'National Oil Spill Contingency Plan' to mitigate the environmental impact and secure the vessel. European officials have highlighted the growing environmental and maritime risks posed by aging, uninsured 'shadow fleet' vessels.