BEIRUT — A sanctioned tanker carrying nearly 1 million barrels of oil appears to have become submerged deeper in waters off the coast of Oman where it has been grounded for several weeks, satellite images reviewed by the Associated Press show.
Crude oil has been leaking and spreading quickly in recent days from the Caroline Bezengi and has reached the shores of Qibliyah Island, off Oman’s southwest coast.
The affected area is part of the Arabian Sea reserve, a marine protected area and host to endangered wildlife, including petrels and the rare Arabian Sea humpback whale.
Greenpeace Germany, which has been monitoring the situation, warned in a statement Wednesday of an “imminent risk of an unprecedented oil disaster from a broken tanker with devastating consequences for the region’s coastlines and marine ecosystems.”
It urged all concerned bodies to act immediately to assess options to contain the spill, calling on Oman to request international assistance if needed.
As of Friday, a spill of oil sheen covered more than 300 square miles, according to Wim Zwijnenburg, an environmental expert for PAX, a Dutch organization that tracks environment in conflicts.
Greenpeace Germany said the spill is increasing, indicating deterioration of the vessel’s condition. Nina Noelle, an environmental disaster expert with the group, said satellite imagery indicates that the oil spill covered 17 square miles as of July 26. It increased to 58 square miles by Aug. 2, she said, and, as of Tuesday, it extended across at least 232 square miles.
On Saturday, Zwijnenburg said the oil sheen was barely visible in new satellite images and appeared to have been diluted and dispersed by weather conditions.
Part of Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’
The 899-foot Caroline Bezengi has been grounded off Qibliyah Island after its crew reported an explosion on board June 8, according to media reports.
The vessel is believed to be part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” and has been sanctioned by the British government and the European Union for carrying cargoes of Russian oil. It left Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk in May, according to geospatial data tracking company SynMax Maritime.
The vessel’s owners are believed to be Shanghai-based, according to Greenpeace and other reports.
The latest satellite images, dated Wednesday, appear to show an oil sheen trailing northeast of the tanker, aground off the rocky coastline, and surrounding the island. In the images, the vessel appears to be partly submerged, noticeably more so than on a photo taken July 31.
July and August are peak monsoon season in the area.
Status of rescue or salvage efforts unclear
On Thursday, Oman’s government said it was responding to the incident. It was not immediately clear if the authorities have reached the tanker and whether there are efforts to salvage it or stop the leaking crude oil.
The statement published by the Oman News Agency said authorities were observing the area through satellite images, field surveys and technical models. It said teams were ready “to implement necessary procedures” to handle potential impacts on marine life and navigation safety in the area.
Deeb writes for the Associated Press. AP writers Michael Reo in Washington and Bassam Hatoum in Dubai contributed to this report.
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