Up to 40km of coastline affected by oil pollution, Omani Environment Authority says.
Published On 13 Aug 2026
Major Oil Spill Reaches Omani Mainland, Threatening Pristine Coasts and Marine Life
MUSCAT, Oman – August 13, 2026 – A significant oil spill originating from the tanker Caroline Bezengi, which ran aground in June, has now spread to Oman’s mainland, impacting extensive stretches of coastline and raising serious environmental concerns. The Omani Environment Authority confirmed today that oil from the distressed vessel has reached beaches in Ras Madrakah, polluting up to 40 kilometers (25 miles) of this central coastal region.
The environmental fallout is expected to escalate further, with the authority anticipating the oil’s arrival at the southern coast of Masirah Island within the “coming hours.” This could affect an additional 10-20 kilometers (6-12 miles) of its valuable coastline, posing an immediate threat to the island’s unique ecosystems.
“Specialized teams continue to carry out monitoring, follow-up, and response operations and to take the necessary measures to limit the spread of pollution and minimize its potential impacts, with priority given to areas of high environmental sensitivity,” stated the Environment Authority in an official announcement. These efforts are crucial as the spill encroaches upon some of Oman’s most ecologically sensitive regions.
Earlier this week, Omani authorities estimated the spill to cover an area of nearly 400 square kilometers (154 square miles), with a particular concentration around the Hallaniyat archipelago. This area is home to a vital marine reserve, established just last year, dedicated to preserving the habitats of sea turtles and other crucial aquatic life. Environmental advocacy groups, such as Greenpeace, have suggested the spill’s actual size could be considerably larger than official estimates, intensifying fears of a widespread ecological catastrophe.
The Caroline Bezengi has been disabled near Oman’s Al Hallaniyat Islands since June 8, following what its crew reported as a suspected explosion. The precise cause of this incident, however, remains undisclosed.
Adding a complex geopolitical dimension to the environmental crisis, Western governments have identified the Caroline Bezengi as part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet.” This fleet is allegedly employed to transport Russian oil, which has been subject to extensive sanctions since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Built in 2001, the tanker itself is currently under sanctions imposed by the European Union, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Canada, and Ukraine.
According to the open-source database OpenSanctions, Rentoor Shipmanagement and Villar Shipmanagement, both based in China, are listed as the vessel’s registered owner and operator, respectively.
Environmental organizations have voiced profound alarm regarding the escalating impact of the widening spill on the region’s pristine coastlines and delicate marine ecosystems. Last week, Greenpeace issued a stark warning, highlighting the risk of an “unprecedented oil disaster” if urgent and effective containment measures were not immediately implemented.
Christopher D’Elia, an eminent specialist in oil spills and a professor emeritus at Louisiana State University in the United States, underscored the gravity of the situation. He noted that the estimated 800,000 barrels of crude oil believed to be on board the Caroline Bezengi would constitute a “fairly large spill.”
“This spill raises a lot of issues,” D’Elia explained to Al Jazeera. “These illegal tankers don’t comply with the ‘polluter pays’ principle that is the basis for how the US and other developed nations regulate spills.” He elaborated on the crucial distinction: “The ‘responsible party’ must finance the cleanup in the US. In this case, there is no responsible party,” highlighting the significant challenge in addressing the financial and logistical demands of such a large-scale environmental clean-up when accountability is obscured.
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