Oil Spill Expands Off Oman’s Coast from Sanctioned Russian Tanker
An oil spill from the sanctioned tanker Caroline Bezengi, which was transporting Russian oil, continues to spread off the coast of Oman. This is evidenced by satellite images and data from shipping experts, Reuters reports.
The tanker loaded Russian oil at the port of Novorossiysk before its last voyage. Problems on board were first reported on June 8 near the Yemeni port of Mukalla. According to preliminary estimates from maritime security sources, an explosion occurred on the vessel.
Satellite Images Confirm Oil Slick
Satellite images from July 28 show a dark oil slick near the tanker and traces of pollution stretching toward the island of Al-Kibliya, located in a protected marine zone off the coast of Oman. Wim Zwijnenburg, a remote sensing specialist from the Dutch peace organization PAX, warned that at least one of the crude oil storage tanks appears to be breached, and oil is leaking from the vessel.
Zwijnenburg noted that the monsoon season currently underway in the region could significantly accelerate the spread of the oil slick. The environmentalist emphasized that the situation poses a significant risk of large-scale pollution.
Sanctions and Shipping Concerns
The Caroline Bezengi is under sanctions from the European Union and the United Kingdom due to its alleged transportation of Russian oil. Reuters confirmed that the vessel in the satellite images is indeed the Caroline Bezengi, comparing its design and coloring with archival photographs.
Shipping experts also note that the vessel has likely taken on a significant list, and some maritime sources do not rule out that the tanker could break apart, which would substantially increase the scale of the environmental disaster.
Original Article: Off the coast of Oman, an oil spill is expanding from a sanctioned tanker of Russia’s “shadow fleet” — Unn