Oil Spill in Protected Oman Waters: Sanctioned Russian Tanker Suspected

The Caroline Bezengi, a tanker sanctioned for transporting Russian fuel, is likely leaking oil in a protected marine area off Oman's coast. The spill is visible in satellite images, and the vessel's owner could not be reached. The cause of the leak remains unclear amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.

A tanker under sanctions for transporting Russian fuel is suspected of leaking oil in a protected marine area off the Omani coast, satellite images and experts suggest.

The vessel, Caroline Bezengi, took on Russian oil in Novorossiysk before embarking on its latest journey, last signaling off Yemen on June 11. Attempts to contact the ship's owner, Shanghai-based Rentoor Shipmanagement, have been unsuccessful.

No comments have been received from Oman's Maritime Security Centre and Environment Authority about the incident, which satellite images from July 2-13 show as a distinct slick southwest of al-Qibliyyah island. The cause of the leak, whether from malfunction, an attack, or geopolitical conflicts, is yet to be determined amid ongoing investigations.