Oil spill from tanker hits Umm Al Quwain coast, beaches shut

An oil spill from ​a tanker was detected off the coast ​of Umm Al Quwain, prompting ‌containment operations and ​environmental assessments, the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Climate Change and Environment said on Friday.

The ministry said all beaches and coastal ‌areas in Umm Al Quwain had been temporarily closed until technical teams completed their assessments and determined the necessary safety and marine protection measures. The ministry also urged fishermen and other sea users to avoid ‌affected areas and follow official instructions.

The announcement followed reports of a strange odour ‌by residents in some emirates on social media. The ministry said that odours reported by residents in Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain posed no health risks to them. The ministry did not say what caused the spill, ⁠and authorities have ​not identified the ⁠tanker involved.

The spill adds to heightened concern over maritime security in Gulf waters after a series of attacks ⁠on commercial vessels, including incidents outside the Strait of Hormuz. On October 9, a vessel, identified by shipping ​sources as GEM No.2, was struck by an unidentified projectile 13 nautical miles west of ⁠Al Jazeera in the UAE, causing a fire that was later extinguished. While no group claimed responsibility, maritime security sources ⁠told ​Reuters the incident occurred outside the Strait of Hormuz and pointed to a widening of risks for commercial shipping. Earlier that week, a tanker was also struck off the ⁠coast of Qatar inside the Gulf.

The spill also follows a separate tanker-related environmental incident in the ⁠region. In August, ⁠oil from a tanker that ran aground off Oman began reaching the mainland coast, prompting concerns about environmental damage and cleanup efforts.