Oman dispatches teams to address oil tanker grounded near Dhofar coast
Omani authorities are sending response units to the stranded oil tanker Caroline Bezengi near the Hallaniyat Islands to curb possible ecological damage.
Omani state media announced that emergency teams are being deployed to the Caroline Bezengi, an oil tanker that became stranded close to the Hallaniyat Islands in the Dhofar governorate. The 274-meter ship, loaded with Russian crude before its voyage, has started leaking oil, raising alarms over potential damage to the shoreline and marine ecosystems. According to two maritime security sources, the vessel's crew first signaled trouble on June 8 while off the Yemeni port of Mukalla, describing an explosion aboard.
Ownership of the tanker is recorded under Rentoor Shipmanagement Ltd, with operational control by Villar Shipmanagement Ltd, as shown in LSEG records. Both companies appear to be based in China, and one outlet could not obtain immediate statements from them. The Omani response aims to limit the environmental impact of the spill.
Why it matters
An oil spill threatens marine life and coastal communities, and the response tests Oman's ability to manage maritime environmental emergencies.
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