Caroline Bezengi Spill Hits 40 km of Oman Coast as Slick Tops 2,000 sq km
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Aug 12
Caroline Bezengi Spill Hits 40 km of Oman Coast as Slick Tops 2,000 sq km
3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Aug 12
Summary
Oman said oil from the Caroline Bezengi has polluted beaches near Ras Madrakah, with up to 40 km of coastline and parts of Masirah Island at risk within hours.
Satellite analysis reviewed by John Amos put the slick at more than 2,000 sq km, up from about 390 sq km cited by Oman's environment agency on Monday.
The leak began after suspected explosions in early June left the tanker damaged; it later ran aground off Oman while carrying an estimated 800,000 barrels of Russian oil bound for India.
The slick is concentrated near the Hallaniyat Archipelago marine reserve, raising fears for sensitive ecosystems including rare sea turtles, while the IMO said it is closely monitoring the incident.
The tanker is believed to be part of Russia's shadow fleet, and experts say weak accountability, war-zone shipping risks and 65 regional maritime incidents since March are complicating cleanup and liability.
The oil sheen has vanished from recent satellites, but is the toxic crude secretly destroying Oman's protected marine reserve beneath the waves?
With a 24-hour ultimatum issued, how will Oman force the shadowy owners of a sanctioned Russian tanker to prevent a million-barrel spill?
As monsoon waves batter the sinking Caroline Bezengi, will international sanctions delay a rescue before the rare Arabian humpback whale faces devastation?