An oil slick is covering an area of around 390 square kilometers off the coast of Oman, the country’s government said on Monday, after a vessel under sanctions and carrying Russian crude sustained damage.
Environmental Impact
The Caroline Bezengi’s crew first reported difficulties on June 8 off the southern Yemeni port of Mukalla, two maritime security sources said, adding that initial assessments indicated that a blast occurred onboard.
Oman said on Monday it was seeking to tackle the oil leak in its waters near the Hallaniyat Islands off the southern governorate of Dhofar. A statement from Oman’s Environment Authority carried by the Omani state news agency said the oil slick covered approximately 390 square kilometers based on its latest analysis that included satellite imagery.
The cause of the damage to the vessel is unclear and Oman did not offer any explanation. Shipping data showed the ship was loaded with Russian crude prior to the voyage. It last transmitted a signal on public AIS tracking on June 11 off the coast of Yemen.
Russia uses ageing, often poorly maintained tankers in what is referred to as its shadow fleet to circumvent Western sanctions on Russian oil exports.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
