UAE tanker hit in Iranian drone strike leaks fuel off Oman coast, raising environmental concerns in Gulf waters
- +UAE Tanker Hit In Iranian Drone Strike Leaks Fuel Near Oman Coast
A unit of state owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company has confirmed that one of its tankers struck in a recent Iranian drone attack has leaked a small amount of fuel off the coast of Oman, highlighting growing environmental risks in the Gulf region.
A unit of state owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company has confirmed that one of its tankers struck in a recent Iranian drone attack has leaked a small amount of fuel off the coast of Oman, highlighting growing environmental risks in the Gulf region.
ADNOC Logistics & Services said on Wednesday that the vessel, the M.V. Barakah, remained anchored off the Omani coast after being hit by two Iranian drones on May 4, and had since released what it described as a small quantity of bunker fuel into surrounding waters.
A company spokesperson said the firm was “monitoring the situation closely” and coordinating with relevant authorities and specialist response teams.
“The ADNOC Logistics & Services vessel Barakah is still anchored off Oman’s coast after being struck by two Iranian drones on May 4,” the spokesperson said. “A small quantity of what is believed to be bunker fuel was released as a result of the incident.”
The company did not disclose the estimated volume of the leak. It also confirmed that no crew members were injured in the attack and that the tanker was not carrying commercial cargo at the time
The incident comes against the backdrop of heightened instability in the region, with maritime security concerns increasing in and around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping corridor that has seen rising disruptions due to developments involving Iran. Reports indicate that vessel movement in parts of the Gulf has become increasingly constrained, with shipping routes facing delays and uncertainty.
Oman’s Maritime Security Centre has not yet commented on the latest spill.
Satellite imagery from the European Union’s Copernicus Sentinel programme captured a white trail extending from the vessel near Oman’s Musandam Peninsula in early May. Analysts cited by TrankersTrackers .com identified the source as the M.V. Barakah, while independent observers said the pattern was consistent with an oilbased discharge.
Louis Goddard, co-founder of data consultancy Data Desk, said the visible trail “is definitely consistent with oil and is clearly coming out of the tanker.”
Later satellite images reviewed by marine scientists suggested the slick had largely dissipated. Elizabeth C. Atwood, a senior Earth observation scientist at Plymouth Marine Laboratory, told Reuters that the spill was no longer visible in more recent imagery.
In a separate development last week, satellite monitoring also indicated a suspected large scale oil slick near Iran’s Kharg Island, a key export hub. Iranian environmental authorities later suggested the incident was likely caused by a vessel discharging wastewater rather than a structural oil facility leak.
The latest incident adds to growing concerns over maritime safety and environmental risks in one of the world’s most strategically sensitive shipping routes.
