Oil Leak From Grounded Tanker Caroline Bezengi Appears Halted

Leak Appears Contained After Months Aground

The Maritime Executive reported that satellite imagery captured on 26 October 2026 showed no visible oil near the stranded Aframax tanker Caroline Bezengi (IMO 9224439). The satellite imagery suggests the slow leaks seen as recently as last week appear halted, though no official update has confirmed that the leakage has stopped permanently.

The Cameroon-flagged tanker remains hard aground on rocks off the southwest tip of Jazirat Al Qibliyyah, Oman. The vessel was struck off Yemen’s coast on 8 June 2026 in what is believed to have been a limpet mine attack. The EU, the UK, and the US (OFAC) sanction the vessel, which has previous ties to Russian state shipowner Sovcomflot. Russia’s permanent representative to the IMO in London declined to confirm or deny that the vessel belongs to the so-called “dark fleet,” calling such speculation “pointless,” despite registration details that point in that direction.

How the Leak Was Likely Stopped

Neither Ambrey, which coordinates the salvage, nor Oman’s Ministry of Transport, Communications and IT has issued a formal operational update. According to The Maritime Executive, the leaks were likely brought under control by pumping oil out of leaking tanks into tanks that remain intact. Last month, the Royal Air Force of Oman helicoptered pumping equipment onto the tanker’s raised stern deck to support that work.

Current sea conditions are reportedly light, with moderate swell and wind around 2.34 m/s. Similar conditions are expected over the coming week.

Cargo Still Aboard, No Offtake Vessel Yet

No offtake tanker has arrived to remove oil trapped in the Caroline Bezengi’s tanks. With crude above $100 a barrel, the report says the remaining cargo has likely gained value since the casualty occurred in early June. Vessels linked to the operation remain nearby, including the EDT-operated multi-purpose offshore vessel EDT Kennedy (IMO 9671400), which left Duqm on October 22, and the Dutch-flagged tug Jif Vanguard (IMO 6688673), shown hove to near the wreck site on AIS.

According to the report, refloating the ship is unlikely, but still possible if some of its load is lightened. Because the hull has settled since the initial stranding, it is likely to have impaled itself on the rocks and sustained further structural damage. Full cargo removal would still leave the wreck on the rocks.

Background on the Casualty

The Caroline Bezengi transited the Suez Canal on May 30 and exited the Maritime Security Transit Corridor before the explosions. It carried oil loaded at Novorossiysk for Gujarat, India. The crew was evacuated without injury roughly four days after the blast, reportedly by another sanctioned, Russian-linked tanker, the Aruba-flagged Noble Walker (IMO 9292981), which was carrying Russian oil to India.