Oil leaking from grounded tanker started reaching Oman mainland: UN shipping agency

Oil leaking from a tanker grounded off Oman's coast has begun reaching the country's mainland, the International Maritime Organization said Wednesday.

The UN shipping agency told Anadolu it is closely monitoring the leakage from the crude oil tanker Caroline Bezengi, which grounded off Oman on June 30 and is currently around 22 nautical miles (41 kilometers) offshore of Sharbithat.

The vessel was carrying approximately 130,000 tons of oil, equivalent to about 800,000 barrels, at the time of the incident, the agency said.

"Oil has been leaking from the vessel for some time," the organization told Anadolu.

The agency said seasonal monsoon conditions had restricted access to the tanker and delayed salvage operations.

The spilled oil is drifting offshore northeast of Oman's Al-Qibliyyah Island, while some has reportedly reached the mainland, according to the organization.

It said oil-spill contingency planning was in place to respond to the incident and limit its environmental impact.

The organization said it had been in contact with the Omani government since the tanker grounded and would continue supporting the ongoing response efforts.

SPILL PREVIOUSLY ESTIMATED AT 390 SQUARE KILOMETERS

Oman's Environment Authority said earlier this week that the slick covered approximately 390 square kilometers (150 square miles) northeast of the Al Hallaniyat Islands and was advancing toward the mainland.

At the time, the pollution was estimated to be around 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) from the coast, with authorities saying nearby desalination plants and tourism facilities faced no immediate threat.

The islands lie within a protected marine reserve that supports wildlife, including the endangered Arabian Sea humpback whale and Socotra cormorants.

The Caroline Bezengi is a roughly 274-meter (899-foot) Suezmax tanker built in 2001. It has been sanctioned by the UK and EU over its involvement in transporting Russian-origin oil.

The vessel is also believed to be part of Russia's so-called shadow fleet of older tankers used to move crude outside Western shipping and insurance networks.