Muscat: A British company specializing in maritime risks announced that it has been tasked with salvaging a Russian oil tanker that ran aground off the coast of Oman. Satellite images showed that the oil leaking from the tanker “Caroline Bizengi” spread rapidly over an area of hundreds of square kilometers, threatening a marine protected area.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, a team from the company “Ambry” boarded the ship with the assistance of the Omani Air Force to assess its condition before attempting to dock it. The ship ran aground off the island of Qabiliya in southwestern Oman after an explosion of unknown origin in late June, and its cargo is estimated at more than 800,000 barrels of oil.

Experts have warned of an unprecedented environmental disaster if the ship sinks or breaks apart. The duration and cost of the salvage operation have not yet been determined, while the spill has reached the shores of Ras Madrakah, and there are fears it could reach Masirah Island.