A tanker carrying more than 800,000 barrels of crude oil has begun leaking a significant oil slick off the coast of Oman, according to recent satellite imagery.
The leak covers roughly 20 square kilometers around Qibliyah Island, part of the Hallaniyat Islands protected area. Dark patches of oil have already reached the shoreline, indicating a growing spill.
Experts warn that the situation is worsening, with the oil sheen expanding each day. The vessel’s hull is believed to be breached, and the ship is listing, raising concerns that it could break apart during the region’s monsoon season.
The 899‑foot tanker, flagged in Cameroon and named Caroline Bezengi, has been stranded since early June after an onboard explosion near the Yemeni port of Mukalla. The cause of the blast remains unconfirmed.
Before its last voyage, the tanker had loaded Russian crude at Novorossiysk in the Black Sea. It is subject to sanctions from several Western countries for transporting Russian oil as part of a fleet used to evade those sanctions.
Satellite images show the vessel’s hull has a visible breach and it is tilting, heightening fears that the ship could break apart and release more oil.
The spill threatens a marine reserve that hosts endangered petrels and other rare wildlife. Coastal areas already show signs of pollution, damaging a fragile ecosystem.
International maritime authorities are monitoring the situation. While the tanker has not yet broken apart, safety and environmental risks continue to be assessed.
Oman’s ministry of transport ordered the vessel’s owners to remove the ship and its cargo by July 23. Whether the deadline has been met remains unclear.
