Authorities in Oman have confirmed that crude oil from a disabled cargo vessel has contaminated the country’s shoreline. The Caroline Bezengi, which has been leaking since June when it ran aground near the Al Hallaniyat Islands, has now affected approximately 40 kilometers of beach along the central coast near Ras Madrakah, according to statements from Oman’s Environment Authority released Wednesday.
The environmental damage is expected to expand further in the coming days. Officials predict the oil slick will reach Masirah Island, situated roughly 15 kilometers offshore, potentially impacting an additional 10 to 20 kilometers of coastline. The spill covers nearly 400 square kilometers around the island archipelago, which houses a marine conservation area dedicated to protecting sea turtle populations and other marine species established just last year.
Response teams are actively monitoring the situation and attempting to contain the pollution in the most ecologically vulnerable regions. Environmental organizations, including Greenpeace, have raised concerns that the actual extent of the spill may be substantially larger than current government estimates. The vessel, which carries approximately 800,000 barrels of crude oil, has been inactive since a reported explosion in June, though the underlying cause remains undetermined.
Originally reported by Aljazeera →
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