Oil spill off Oman from tanker under sanctions against Russia spreads over huge area

An oil slick of around 150 square miles is off the coast of Oman, the country said, after a vessel under sanctions and carrying Russian crude sustained damage.

An oil slick is covering an area of around 150 square miles off the coast of Oman, the country’s government said on Monday, after a vessel under sanctions and carrying Russian crude sustained damage.

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.

In its first public disclosure of details of the environmental impact, 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 150 square miles based on its latest analysis that included satellite imagery.

It said the slick extends northeast of the islands towards the mainland and at its nearest point comes within an estimated seven kilometers of the shore.