Russian-Linked Shadow Fleet Tanker Leaks Oil Off Oman Coast
A Russia-linked oil tanker from the so-called “shadow fleet” is leaking crude oil off Oman’s Dhofar coast, with satellite imagery showing the spill spreading toward the Hallaniyat Islands, a marine protected area.
The vessel, Caroline Bezengi, is reportedly carrying more than 800,000 barrels of crude and had previously loaded oil at Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. The tanker has been sanctioned by the UK, EU, Canada and Switzerland over its links to Russia’s sanctioned oil trade.
The expanding spill has raised concerns over a potential environmental disaster in one of Oman’s sensitive marine ecosystems, with environmental groups warning of risks to wildlife and coastal habitats.
The cause of the tanker’s damage has not been independently established. Reports indicate the vessel grounded off the Omani coast rather than confirming that an explosion caused the spill.