Satellite images show oil leaking from a sanctioned tanker anchored off the coast of Oman, spreading near a marine reserve, according to the Associated Press. The latest images, taken on Friday, show an oil slick covering about 20 square kilometers and dark spots on the shores of Qibliyah Island in Dhofar province, part of the Hallaniyat Islands.
Wim Zwijnenburg, an environmental expert at the Dutch peace organization PAX, said the oil has been gradually leaking from the tanker, reaching the shore and spreading as a thin layer around the island. He noted that the leak has intensified in recent days as the slick's size grows. The main risk, he said, is the ship breaking apart, as the windy monsoon season from May to September could damage the hull.
Zwijnenburg estimates the tanker holds more than 800,000 barrels of crude oil. Images from July 28 showed oil mostly collected in a bay northwest of the ship, with the slick covering the coast.
The 274-meter-long Suezmax tanker Caroline Bezengi, flying the flag of Cameroon, is sanctioned by the UK for carrying Russian-origin oil and being involved in activities destabilizing Ukraine. It is also sanctioned by the EU, Canada, and Switzerland. The tanker has been grounded off the Dhofar coast since June, with the crew reporting an explosion on board at that time, according to shipping outlets. AP could not independently confirm this.
SynMax Maritime, a geospatial data company, said it obtained images in May showing the tanker at the port of Novorossiysk in Russia.
Nina Noelle of Greenpeace Germany said the situation is another alarming example of the environmental risks posed by Russia's shadow fleet. As of July 24, the impacts of the leak were evident, with coastlines and sensitive marine ecosystems polluted. "With oil apparently continuing to leak and the tanker stranded in a difficult location, there is a serious risk of a much larger oil disaster, with even more devastating consequences for the region's coastlines and marine ecosystems," Noelle said.
The area is part of the Arabian Sea Reserve, a marine protected area home to unique mammals and birds, including endangered petrels. Oman's Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology ordered the vessel's owners to remove it and its cargo by July 23. It is unclear if the owners have responded.