Authorities in the United Arab Emirates have temporarily closed all beaches and coastal areas in the emirate of Umm Al Quwain following an oil spill from a stricken tanker, the country's Ministry of Climate Change and Environment announced on Friday, October 23.
In a statement posted on X, the ministry said the spill affecting Umm Al Quwain's coastline was detected by the UAE's technical monitoring and environmental assessment system. Response teams have begun containment, cordoning, clean-up and remediation operations in coordination with local and federal authorities. Coastal surveys and environmental assessments are continuing to determine the extent of the impact. The closures will remain in force until technical teams complete their assessments.
The spill is linked to the Panama-flagged tanker Gem No. 2, which was hit by an unidentified projectile on October 9 about 13 nautical miles from the Strait of Hormuz and has been burning ever since. No group has claimed the attack. The slick was first seen leaking from the vessel on October 19, and by midweek it had stretched more than 22 miles from the ship across roughly 160 square kilometers of the northern coastline.
Sharjah has also shut Al Hamriyah Beach as a precaution against pollution reaching the shore. The ministry addressed reports of an unusual odor in Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain, assuring residents it posed no health risk, and urged fishermen and sea users to follow official instructions and avoid fishing in affected waters.
Maritime intelligence firm Windward has projected the slick could reach desalination intakes and ports at Sharjah and Ajman — a serious concern in a country that depends on desalination for most of its drinking water. Officials have not said whether any contamination has been detected at water plants. The incident follows months of attacks on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important energy chokepoints.