According to AFP, the oil slick is believed to have originated from the oil tanker Caroline Bezengi, which has been stranded for more than 1 month near Al Qibliyyah Island, off the southern coast of Oman.
Satellite image analysis shows that the oil streak is spreading rapidly. The area of the oil streak increased from a maximum of about 20km2 on July 24 to an estimated 600km2 on August 4 (local time).
Ms. Nina Noelle of the environmental organization Greenpeace said that if oil continues to leak while the ship is stuck in a difficult-to-reach location, the risk of a serious environmental disaster is high. She also warned that the incident could cause serious and prolonged consequences.
Large areas along the island's coastline seem to have been affected. According to Ms. Noelle, other oil streaks continue to spread far offshore, increasing pollution and damaging the protected marine ecosystem in the area.
Environmental research expert Wim Zwijnenburg said that if the ship was completely broken, the incident could cause an environmental disaster on a regional scale, affecting the lives of Oman fishing communities as well as marine biodiversity and island ecosystems.
He believes that timely intervention and salvage of oil from oil tankers are needed to prevent more serious consequences.
Last year, Oman established a marine sanctuary around the Al Hallaniyat archipelago, including Al Qibliyyah Island. This area has a diverse marine ecosystem, including many rare sea turtle species.
Ms. Noelle said that oil pollution in the Hallaniyat archipelago could threaten coral reefs, marine lawns and coastal habitats, which are home to endangered sea turtles, migratory seabirds and marine mammals.
According to Ms. Noelle, sea turtles nest and lay eggs on beaches, while many marine birds reproduce on islands. The surrounding sea area is also home to rare humpback whales in the Arabian Sea.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) said that this agency is currently supporting Oman, but did not provide further details about the incident.
