Oil spill nears Oman's coast after explosion on Russia-linked tanker

An oil spill is nearing the coast of Oman after a mysterious explosion on a Russian-linked tanker, the Caroline Bezengi. The ship, anchored near Oman's Hallaniyat islands, has been motionless in the Arabian Sea since a June blast and subsequent fire. Satellite imagery reveals the vessel anchored off Oman's Hallaniyat islands, a protected marine reserve home to whales, dolphins, and turtles.

The ship, flying the flag of Cameroon, is subject to British and EU sanctions due to suspicions it had been transporting Russian oil. Though speculation about a Ukrainian mine attack has not been confirmed, the spill appears to be progressing along a consistent trajectory, with a projected drift of over 120km in the next two days.

Oman has reported that the affected area has expanded to nearly 400 square kilometers, with the spill currently only 7km off the southern coast. The monsoon season has complicated efforts to assess the leak and devise methods for extracting the oil. Authorities are investigating potential engineering interventions to address hull damage, while monitoring the impact on islands, habitats, coral reefs, and turtle nesting grounds.

As of now, there is no indication of harm to desalination plants or coastal land. A royal decree created a "marine buffer zone" around the Hallaniyat islands last year, requiring permits for fishing or research. The Caroline Bezengi's last transmission was on June 11 off Yemen's coast, and the crew's fate remains unknown. The ship's registered owners are Rentoor Shipmanagement Ltd and Villar Shipmanagement Ltd, both based in China.

Russia is known for deploying aging, often poorly maintained tankers through its "shadow fleet" to evade Western sanctions on oil exports.