UAE closes beaches in three emirates as tanker oil spill reaches Umm Al Quwain coast

Beaches in three of the United Arab Emirates’ seven emirates are closed after oil leaking from a tanker in the Gulf reached the coast of Umm Al Quwain.

The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) said on 23 October that its monitoring system had detected marine pollution caused by an oil spill from a tanker, with impacts extending to the beaches of Umm Al Quwain. As a precaution, and in coordination with the relevant authorities, the ministry temporarily closed all beaches and coastal areas in the emirate until technical teams complete their assessments.

Which beaches are closed

• Umm Al Quwain: all beaches and coastal areas, closed by MOCCAE.
• Sharjah: Al Hamriya Beach, closed on Friday 23 October as a precaution to stop the pollution reaching the emirate’s shores, the Sharjah Government Media Bureau said.
• Ras Al Khaimah: all public beaches, closed with immediate effect “until further notice” on Saturday 24 October, the emirate’s Public Services Department and Ras Al Khaimah Police said in a joint statement.

No reopening date has been announced for any of the closures. Ras Al Khaimah authorities said a further announcement would be made depending on conditions.

Health advice and fishing

The ministry said the spill was the cause of the fuel-like smell reported by residents of Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain, and that the odours pose no health risk. It urged residents and visitors to stay away from the closed areas.

MOCCAE also asked fishermen and other sea users to follow official instructions and not fish in affected areas. Fishermen in Umm Al Quwain have suspended fishing there until containment and clean-up are complete, Gulf News reported.

Clean-up

The ministry said specialised teams began containment as soon as the pollution was detected, cordoned off affected areas and started clean-up and remediation work, with surveys and environmental assessments continuing along the Umm Al Quwain coast. Umm Al Quwain Municipality said it was carrying out field operations to contain the spill’s effects on beaches and marine habitats.

The tanker

UAE authorities have not named the tanker or said what caused the leak, Reuters reported. Martin Kelly, chief executive of Orbital Risk Intelligence, told Reuters the oil was coming from the tanker Gem No.2. Shipping sources said on 9 October that the Gem No.2 had been struck by an unidentified projectile 13 nautical miles west of Al Jazeera in the UAE, causing a fire that was later put out.

BBC Verify said satellite images showed a leak from a ship matching the Gem No.2’s location and dimensions, and that the slick had spread more than 35km (22 miles) from the tanker by Wednesday 21 October. The BBC said the ship was damaged on 9–10 October during a surge of vessel strikes by Iran.

The amount of oil spilled has not been officially disclosed.