Oil leak from tanker Caroline Bezengi threatens environmental disaster off Oman

Satellite imagery shows crude oil leaking from the 270 meters long tanker Caroline Bezengi off the coast of Oman, producing a slick that has expanded to roughly 600 square kilometres and threatening sensitive marine habitats. The incident was reported on 7 August 2026 as international observers warn of a potential environmental disaster.

Environmental risks and early findings

Greenpeace has said the spill poses a serious risk to local coral reefs, sea turtles, migratory birds and marine mammals. Analysts at the geodata firm Synmax, which examined satellite photos, say the vessel is linked to the so-called "shadow fleet" and is under European Union sanctions.

Synmax reported that the tanker was likely loaded with oil in the Russian port of Novorossiysk and had been bound for a port in India. Available tracking data indicates the ship likely suffered an incident at sea in early June and subsequently stopped transmitting its position.

Omani state media say authorities intend to deploy specialised teams to limit environmental damage. Greenpeace estimates that preventing a full-scale catastrophe will probably require transferring about 110,000 tonnes of crude oil — the suspected cargo of the Caroline Bezengi — to another vessel.

At this stage it is not clear under which flag the ship is sailing. Efforts to contain the slick are complicated by its size — roughly double the area of the German city of Munich — and by the ecological sensitivity of the affected coastal waters.

Photo: press material from the event