Leaking tanker off Omani coast is sinking deeper, satellite images show
- Satellite images show the tanker Caroline Bezengi is increasingly submerged off the coast of Oman and leaking crude oil.
- The oil spill has expanded rapidly, covering nearly 800 square kilometers as of August 7.
- The tanker has been grounded for two months after an explosion was reported on board on June 8.
- The vessel is believed to be part of Russia's sanctioned 'shadow fleet' and was carrying Russian oil.
- Oman authorities are monitoring the situation and have teams ready to respond to potential impacts on marine life.
Satellite images reviewed by The Associated Press show that a sanctioned tanker carrying nearly a million barrels of oil appears to be increasingly submerged in water off the coast of Oman, where it has been grounded for weeks, while leaking ever more oil into the surrounding sea.
Crude oil has been leaking and spreading quickly in recent days from the tanker Caroline Bezengi, reaching the shores of Qibliyah Island off Oman’s southwest coast. By Aug. 7, the spill was covering nearly 800 square kilometers (309 square miles).
The tanker’s crew reported an explosion on board on June 8. It is believed to be part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” and has been sanctioned by the British government and the European Union for carrying Russian oil. The vessel’s owners are believed to be Shanghai-based, according to Greenpeace and other reports.
阿曼海岸漏油油轮沉没加深，卫星图像显示
美联社审查的卫星图像显示，一艘运载近一百万桶石油的受制裁油轮在阿曼海岸越来越沉没，并且在搁浅数周后不断漏油。
最近几天，油轮Caroline Bezengi的原油泄漏迅速扩散，已到达阿曼西南海岸的Qibliyah岛。到8月7日，泄漏事件覆盖了近800平方公里。
该油轮的船员在6月8日报告船上发生爆炸。它被认为是俄罗斯“影子舰队”的一部分，并因运输俄罗斯石油而受到英国政府和欧盟的制裁。根据绿色和平组织和其他报道，该船的所有者被认为位于上海。