Weather conditions and operational challenges were hampering salvage efforts for a grounded tanker that was leaking Russian crude oil in a protected marine area off Oman's coast, the sultanate's state news agency
Weather conditions and operational challenges were hampering salvage efforts for a grounded tanker that was leaking Russian crude oil in a protected marine area off Oman's coast, the sultanate's state news agency reported on Monday.
Oman has been coordinating the salvage operation with risk-management company Ambrey as part of efforts to contain environmental damage from a spill that some estimates put at 2,000 sq km. The government's environment agency gave an official estimate of 400 sq km on August 10 but has yet to issue an update.
The spill from the Caroline Bezengi tanker — apparently the result of an unexplained attack on the vessel in June — has spread around a nature reserve and hit Oman's coastline on Wednesday.
Mohammed bin Abdullah al-Rawahi, director general of maritime affairs at Oman's Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, said that difficulties emerged from the monsoon in the area and the shallow and rocky nature of the site where the vessel ran aground, the news agency reported.
The conditions put salvage vessels and equipment under "operational and navigational risks", he was quoted as saying.
The operation is further complicated by the damage to the vessel, with a large area flooded on
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