The spill, linked to a grounded tanker suspected of belonging to Russia’s sanctioned ghost fleet, has expanded to 600 km² and endangers protected marine life.
An oil spill off the coast of Oman’s Al-Hallaniyat archipelago nature reserve is threatening marine ecosystems, according to Greenpeace and the Dutch NGO PAX. The spill originated from a grounded tanker, suspected to be the 'Caroline Bezengi', which drifted after being damaged by three explosions of unknown origin on June 6, 2026, according to the maritime security company Vanguard.
600 km²
The oil slick expanded to this size between July 24 and August 4, 2026, according to satellite images analyzed by Greenpeace.
Satellite imagery from Greenpeace and AFP confirms the oil slick has reached large portions of Al-Qibliyah island, part of the reserve established in 2025. The area contains coral reefs, seagrass beds, and breeding grounds for endangered species including the Oman Sea humpback whale.
It is very worrying, because we are talking about a marine protected area.
— Nina Noelle, Greenpeace international crisis operations expert
Nina Noelle of Greenpeace said the spill threatens sea birds, sea turtles, dolphins, and whale populations. She also noted the vessel has no clearly defined flag, complicating efforts by Omani authorities to identify responsible parties.
The 'Caroline Bezengi' is suspected of being part of the Russian ghost fleet, a network of ships used to circumvent Western sanctions since the war in Ukraine. The last known AIS signal from the vessel dates to June 11, and its identification has not been officially confirmed.
PAX warned of a potential hull breach that could cause a regional environmental catastrophe. Greenpeace reports that oil continues to leak from the vessel. The International Maritime Organization said it would provide assistance to Omani authorities.
Updates
The tanker responsible, identified as the 270-meter-long 'Caroline Bezengi,' is suspected of having loaded 110,000 tons of crude oil at Russia’s Novorossiysk port and was en route to India before losing signal; though subject to EU sanctions and now unflagged with no responsible owner, Oman has demanded its removal, while Greenpeace warns the country may face the full ecological and financial burden alone.
The 'Caroline Bezengi,' a 270-meter-long tanker suspected of belonging to Russia’s sanctioned ghost fleet, is estimated to have spilled 110,000 tons of crude oil after loading at Russia’s Novorossiysk port and heading toward India before losing its signal; Oman has demanded its removal, while Greenpeace warned that without a responsible owner or insurance, the country may bear the full ecological and financial burden alone.
The 'Caroline Bezengi,' a 270-meter-long tanker suspected of belonging to Russia’s sanctioned ghost fleet and subject to EU sanctions, is estimated to have spilled 110,000 tons of crude oil likely loaded at Novorossiysk, and was en route to India before losing its signal; Oman has demanded its removal, while Greenpeace warns the country may face the full ecological and financial burden due to the vessel’s lack of responsible ownership, insurance, or flag state.
The 'Caroline Bezengi,' a 270-meter tanker carrying an estimated 110,000 tons of crude oil—nearly three times the volume of the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill—has been linked to a Chinese-owned shell company in Shanghai and likely loaded oil at Russia’s Novorossiysk port before losing its signal en route to India; Greenpeace and PAX warn that without urgent intervention to pump the oil onto another vessel, the spill’s ecological impact on nesting seabirds, sea turtles, dolphins, and whales will worsen, while Oman may be left to bear the costs due to the ship’s lack of insurance, flag state, or identifiable owner.
The 'Caroline Bezengi,' a 270-meter tanker carrying an estimated 110,000 tons of crude oil—nearly three times the volume of the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill—has been linked to a Chinese-owned shell company in Shanghai and is suspected of having loaded oil in Russia’s Novorossiysk before losing its signal en route to India; Greenpeace and PAX warn that without urgent intervention to pump the oil onto another vessel, the spill’s ecological impact on critical seabird, turtle, dolphin, and whale habitats could escalate, while Oman may be left to bear the costs alone due to the vessel’s lack of insurance, flag state, or identifiable owner.
The 'Caroline Bezengi,' a 270-meter tanker carrying an estimated 110,000 tons of crude oil—nearly three times the volume of the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill—has been identified as likely linked to a Chinese shell company and possibly loaded oil in Novorossiysk before losing its signal en route to India; while Oman has requested its removal, NGOs warn that without a responsible owner or flag state, the country may face the full ecological and financial burden, and experts caution that a structural failure could trigger a catastrophe requiring urgent offloading operations.
The 'Caroline Bezengi,' a 270-meter tanker carrying an estimated 110,000 tons of crude oil—nearly three times the volume of the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill—has been linked to a Chinese-owned shell company in Shanghai and likely loaded oil at Russia’s Novorossiysk port before losing its signal en route to India; Greenpeace and PAX warn that without rapid intervention to pump the oil onto another vessel, the spill’s ecological impact on critical seabird, turtle, dolphin, and whale habitats could escalate, while Oman may face alone the financial and environmental burden due to the ship’s lack of insurance, flag state, or identifiable owner.
The 'Caroline Bezengi,' a 270-meter tanker carrying an estimated 110,000 tons of crude oil—nearly three times the volume of the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill—has been linked to a Chinese-owned shell company in Shanghai and likely loaded oil in Russia’s Novorossiysk before losing signal en route to India; Greenpeace and PAX warn that without urgent intervention to pump the oil onto another vessel, the spill’s ecological impact on nesting seabirds, sea turtles, dolphins, and whales will worsen, while Oman may face unchecked costs due to the ship’s lack of insurance, flag state, or identifiable owner, despite IMO’s offer of unspecified assistance.
