UAE Closes Umm Al Quwain Beaches After Gem No.2 Spill

Oil from a tanker hit near the Strait of Hormuz has reached the coast of the United Arab Emirates, prompting local authorities to close several beaches and coastal areas in the northern emirate of Umm Al Quwain.

The incident began on 9 October when the Panama-flagged vessel Gem No.2 was struck by an unknown projectile north of Al Jazeera Al Hamra. The impact started a fire that was later extinguished, and the ship was attempting to leave the strait via what Iranian state media described as an unauthorized route. On 11 October, the Indian consulate in Dubai confirmed that all 22 Indian crew members had been rescued.

Initial satellite images from 19 October showed a small leak, but the spill expanded rapidly over the next two days. By Wednesday, the oil slick stretched more than 35 kilometers, or 22 miles, from the ship. Verified video taken on Friday showed oil washing ashore and turning the water black near Umm Al Quwain.

The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment said it began containment efforts immediately to limit environmental impacts. Prof Steve Widdicombe, director of the Sharjah Marine Science Research Centre, noted that some impact on marine life was inevitable. He explained that spills can trap turtles, smother seabird feathers, and damage fish gills, while long-term exposure to toxic compounds may affect the reproductive abilities of local species.

The slick is moving toward Siniyah and Khor Al Beidah islands, which are designated as a globally recognized Key Biodiversity Area. This habitat contains corals, seagrasses, and saltmarshes, and serves as a home for green turtles and the critically endangered Halavi guitarfish. Eoghan Darbyshire, a scientist at the Conflict and Environment Observatory, identified the spill's proximity to these islands as the most concerning environmental aspect of the event.

Maritime intelligence firm Vanguard reported that the Gem No.2 was one of a record number of ships attacked in the region at the start of October. Security experts told BBC Verify that these strikes were part of an Iranian effort to assert greater control over the waterway, a response to the United States military escorting more commercial vessels through the strait. Both Iranian and US forces have targeted commercial ships amid the ongoing conflict.

This is not the first major oil spill in the area. In August, another large slick reached the shores of Iran's Qeshm Island, where experts warned it threatened wildlife, protected ecosystems, and local fishing communities.