Oil Spill off the UAE Expands as Three Emirates Close Their Beaches

Images from the European Earth observation network Copernicus, captured by the Sentinel-2 satellite on October 24, showed that the oil spill from a damaged tanker off the UAE coast has expanded over recent days and approached the shores of the northern emirate of Umm Al Quwain, with dark slicks of oil spreading in the sea and along the coastline, Reuters reported.

The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment said on Friday, October 23, that its monitoring system detected an oil spill from a tanker affecting the beaches of Umm Al Quwain, adding that efforts are underway to contain the spill alongside an environmental assessment. The authorities did not name the tanker or specify the cause of the leak, but experts told Reuters that the spill originated from the tanker Gem No. 2, which shipping sources said was struck by an unknown projectile last month, triggering a fire that was later extinguished.

Authorities in Umm Al Quwain temporarily closed all beaches and coastal areas, while Sharjah closed Al Hamriyah Beach as a precaution, and Ras Al Khaimah announced on Saturday the closure of all the emirate's beaches until further notice. Nidal Hilal, professor of engineering and director of the Water Research Center at NYU Abu Dhabi, said the reported spill off Umm Al Quwain is a serious environmental concern, noting that closing the beaches is a wise precautionary measure while assessing the scale of the leak and oil movement.

The incident comes at a time when attacks on commercial vessels in Gulf shipping lanes, since the US-Israeli war with Iran, have raised security risks for maritime traffic and sparked concerns over the environmental fallout of the conflict. According to data compiled by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, October was the worst month for attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and adjacent waters. Marine life in the UAE includes more than 500 fish species, including dolphins and sea turtles, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

What do these terms mean?

Oil spill: The release of oil from a tanker or pipeline into water or onto the coast, leading to environmental pollution that can last for months.

Copernicus Sentinel-2: A European satellite that images Earth's surface in high resolution to track environmental changes and disasters.

Strait of Hormuz: A narrow waterway connecting the Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, through which a major portion of global oil and gas trade passes.