Saturday 21 / December / 2024
Muscat: The oil slick that had spread over the territorial waters of the Sultanate, off the coast of North Al Batinah, has now been cleared and the waters are free of environmental pollution, the Environment Agency said in a statement.
According to the authority: "The oil slick was divided into two spots, which are located outside the territorial waters of the Sultanate at a distance of 19 nautical miles and 27 nautical miles east of the Wilayat of Liwa. The Pollution Operations Control Center at the Environment Authority, in coordination with the Royal Air Force of Oman, continued monitoring the oil slick that was detected in the north of Sohar Port 48 hours ago. In the north of Al Batinah, we confirm there is no pollution in Sultanate territorial waters.”
“Yesterday, an Air Force plane had seen an oil slick east of wilayat Liwa, and the aerial survey today included all areas around the port of Sohar at a distance of 20 nautical miles from the port to the north, east and south of the port, and no traces of these spots or others were detected," EA added.
The authority confirmed that it will continue monitoring and control operations in the aforementioned areas, in cooperation with the concerned national and regional authorities. EA added, "The authority appreciates all the strenuous efforts made by all national and regional bodies to facilitate response operations, and appreciates the concern and the tangible concern of society for the safety of the Omani environment."
