Overview
- Omani authorities and the U.N. shipping agency reported on Wednesday that oil from the grounded tanker Caroline Bezengi has reached beaches at Ras Madrakah and could affect up to 40 kilometres of coastline with Masirah Island at risk.
- Independent satellite analysts led by SkyTruth estimate the surface slick exceeds 2,000 square kilometres while Omani officials say the affected area is about 400 square kilometres, leaving large uncertainty about the spill’s true extent.
- The 25-year-old Caroline Bezengi ran aground on June 30 after the ship reported an onboard blast on June 8 and was carrying roughly 800,000 barrels of Russian crude; Western governments describe the vessel as part of a sanctioned ‘shadow fleet.’
- Salvage and offloading efforts are delayed by seasonal monsoon winds, limited access to the wreck and complex legal and insurance issues, and the IOPC Funds has said it will not pay if the incident is treated as an act of war.
- Experts warn the hull could break up and release the ship’s full cargo — an outcome of tens of millions of gallons that would threaten turtle nesting beaches, humpback whales, coral reefs and local fisheries unless stabilisation and transfer happen quickly.