An oil spill from a tanker grounded off Oman's coast has expanded significantly over the past week, according to environmental experts and satellite imagery. The spill, originating from the Cameroon-flagged Suezmax tanker Caroline Bezengi, now covers approximately 150 square kilometers (58 square miles), a sharp increase from around 20 square kilometers (8 square miles) documented previously.

The Caroline Bezengi, which has been grounded for several weeks near Qibliyah Island in Dhofar, Oman’s largest governorate, is under sanctions by the United Kingdom, the European Union, Canada, and Switzerland. The vessel is accused of transporting Russian-origin oil, with the U.K. government stating the ship has been or is likely involved in activities aimed at destabilizing Ukraine or supporting the Russian government. Satellite images obtained earlier this year showed the tanker at Novorossiysk, a Russian port on the Black Sea, prior to its current voyage.

Experts monitoring the spill warn of its environmental impact, particularly within the Arabian Sea reserve, a marine protected area home to endangered species such as petrels and the Arabian Sea humpback whale. Greenpeace Germany noted the rapid enlargement of the spill, highlighting the extensive reach of oil fouling the shores of Qibliyah Island as well as spreading far into the sea.

Wim Zwijnenburg, an environmental analyst with the Dutch organization PAX, described the oil spill as encompassing both a thin sheen and thicker black patches. The sheen extends roughly 90 kilometers (56 miles) northeast from the tanker, roughly twice the length observed a week earlier. Thick, concentrated oil has contaminated the southern and western shores of Qibliyah Island. Zwijnenburg estimated the tanker was carrying more than 800,000 barrels of crude oil when it became grounded.

The grounding reportedly followed an explosion aboard the Caroline Bezengi in June, according to shipping and maritime news outlets, although these reports have not been independently confirmed. The tanker remains stranded off the Omani coast, contributing to the ongoing leak and expanding oil contamination.

The environmental situation has drawn increased scrutiny given the sensitive marine ecosystem at risk, and efforts to address the spill or contain further damage are yet to be reported. The incident adds to growing concerns over tanker incidents and shipping-related pollution in the region.