MUSCAT, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- An oil slick from the grounded vessel "Caroline Bezengi" off Oman's southern Dhofar Governorate has expanded to about 390 square kilometers, Omani authorities said.
Oman's Environment Authority and Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology said in a statement that satellite imagery and technical analyses confirmed continued oil pollution in the affected marine area.
The slick was detected northeast of the Al Hallaniyat Islands and extending toward the mainland coast, with its nearest point about seven kilometers from shore. Monitoring showed that it continued to move along a similar trajectory, with its observed spread reaching approximately 449 kilometers.
According to current assessments and modeling, the slick is moving generally northeastward and is forecast to advance by about 121 kilometers over the next 48 hours, depending on marine and weather conditions.
The authorities stressed that the projection is a scientific forecast and may change due to variations in wind, current and sea conditions. They added that the slick's size, shape and location could fluctuate during monitoring due to movement, spreading and natural dispersion.
The Environment Authority said the pollution remained visible on the sea surface and continued to move and disperse under the influence of marine and weather conditions.
Meanwhile, the transport ministry said technical teams were inspecting the vessel's hull, assessing damage, identifying leakage sources and developing measures to contain the spill. Authorities are also working to safely transfer the vessel's oil cargo before salvaging the ship in line with maritime safety requirements.
Omani authorities said Thursday that they had launched an emergency response after the "Caroline Bezengi" ran aground off the Al Hallaniyat Islands, with specialized teams monitoring the situation and taking measures to limit risks to the marine environment and navigation safety.
Media reports say the vessel has been grounded since June, after its crew reported an explosion on board, with the oil spill expanding significantly in recent days. Enditem.
