Sanctioned Russian tanker leaks oil off Oman after mystery explosion

The tanker Caroline Bezengi, part of Russia's clandestine fleet, discharged oil following an unforeseen collision off Oman's shoreline. This environmental disaster, spanning approximately 390 square kilometers (around 150 square miles), emerged northeast of the Hallaniyat Islands, as per Oman's Environment Authority. The oil slick looms about 7 kilometers, or around 4 miles, from the coastline, according to the agency.

Oman has never previously reported ecological harm stemming from a sanctioned tanker's oil leak; in Monday's announcement, the government expressed its intent to mitigate the spill, according to Reuters. Last week, the environmental organization Greenpeace estimated the spill's extent at approximately 600 square kilometers, or about 230 square miles, based on a satellite image analysis.

The Cameroon-flagged vessel departed from Russia's Black Sea port of Novorossiysk in April, laden with oil, and struck a reef in the Arabian Sea near Oman's coast in early June. The cause of the explosion onboard remains a mystery, according to maritime security sources cited by Reuters. Russia's shadow fleet comprises tankers that transport oil in contravention of sanctions imposed by Western nations in response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. These vessels are procured by companies linked to Russia from decommissioned aging ships.