Satellite imagery reveals a sanctioned tanker, identified as the Cameroon-flagged Caroline Bezengi and reportedly carrying over 800,000 barrels of Russian crude, is actively leaking a growing trail of oil into protected waters off the coast of Oman, with the sheen now spanning approximately 20 square kilometers and reaching the shoreline of the Hallaniyat Islands, a critical marine reserve. Experts warn that the vessel, stranded since June after an alleged onboard explosion and now part of Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’ used to bypass Western sanctions, is at severe risk of breaking apart due to the ongoing monsoon season’s rough seas and strong winds, potentially triggering a catastrophic environmental disaster that could devastate endangered wildlife and the fragile ecosystem. The United Nations’ International Maritime Organization is monitoring the situation, while Omani authorities have issued a deadline for the ship’s removal, the response to which remains unclear, leaving a significant environmental threat imminent.
Adapted from: Latest World News on Fox News