Weather conditions and operational challenges are hampering salvage efforts for a grounded tanker leaking Russian crude in a protected marine area off Oman’s coast, Reuters reports citing the sultanate’s state news agency.

Oman has been coordinating the salvage operation with risk-management company Ambrey as part of efforts to contain environmental damage from a spill that some estimates put at 2,000 square kilometres.

Mohammed bin Abdullah al-Rawahi, Director General of Maritime Affairs at Oman’s Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, says that difficulties emerged from the monsoon in the area and the shallow and rocky nature of the site where the vessel ran aground, the news agency reports.

The conditions put salvage vessels and equipment under “operational and navigational risks”, he is quoted as saying.

He adds that the operation is further complicated by the damage to the vessel, with a large area flooded on one side.