Satellite images suggest oil slicks near Strait of Hormuz after US tanker attacks

Satellite data obtained on Wednesday and Thursday by the European Copernicus programme reveal brown streaks on the water surface roughly 20 kilometres off Iran's shoreline, east of the Strait of Hormuz. Experts including Vincent Kerbaol of CLS, Leon Moreland of the Conflict and Environment Observatory, and the US nonprofit SkyTruth interpret the markings as highly likely oil slicks, citing their visual characteristics and lack of algal bloom evidence.

Two of the tracks align with the last known positions of the tankers Riesco and Kylo, which were sunk on September 8 and 5 after the US destroyed five vessels in response to Revolutionary Guard missile attacks. Kerbaol noted that if the slicks consist of more volatile fuels they could evaporate within a few days, unlike more persistent crude oil. The area affected includes coral reefs designated as Ramsar wetlands, raising concerns about environmental damage.