LONDON, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Salvors with specialist vessels and other equipment are heading to waters off Oman to try to contain the environmental damage from a spill of Russian crude that has spread for weeks, the risk management firm coordinating the operation said on Thursday.
The spill from the Caroline Bezengi tanker, apparently the result of an unexplained attack on the vessel in June, has spread around a nature reserve, and hit Oman's coastline on Wednesday.
Risk management firm Ambrey is coordinating the salvage operation and said it had contracted a "leading international oil spill response company", without naming it.
The response included salvage vessels, aircraft and specialists using 100 metric tons of equipment, it said.
The Caroline Bezengi, carrying an estimated 800,000 barrels of Russian oil and under international sanctions, ran aground on June 30 near an Omani marine nature reserve that is home to wildlife including humpback whales and Socotra cormorants.
An annual monsoon in the area is complicating the salvage efforts, Ambrey said.
Oman's agriculture, fisheries and water resources ministry said on Thursday it was monitoring the impact of the stricken tanker on sea life and on local fish products to make sure they are safe to market.
It advised fishermen to stay away from the area of the spill and report any unusual smells or noticeable changes in the water or marine life.
