Beaches closed in Umm Al Quwain
Authorities in the northern emirates have restricted access to the coast as oil from a damaged tanker reached shore. The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment closed all beaches and coastal areas around Umm Al Quwain, and Sharjah shut Al Hamriyah Beach as a precaution. Residents in Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain had reported unusual odours before the closures; the ministry said the smells posed no health risk.
The ministry said it began containment immediately to limit environmental damage. Crews have been deployed along the shoreline, and the ministry is conducting an environmental assessment.
Satellite images show the spread
Images from the European Union's Copernicus satellite observation network dated October 24 show dark layers of oil spreading at sea and along the coast, reaching close to the shore of Umm Al Quwain. A much smaller leak was first visible from the vessel on October 19.
The ship matches the location and dimensions of Gem No.2, which was damaged between October 9 and 10 during a record surge of vessel strikes near the Strait of Hormuz. The strait carries a large share of the world's seaborne oil, and the attacks have already disrupted tanker traffic and pushed fuel prices higher.
Damage still being assessed
Steve Widdicombe, director of the Sharjah Marine Science Research Centre, told BBC Verify that an impact on marine life is inevitable but that it is too soon to judge the extent. Mangrove stands, seagrass beds and shallow reefs in the northern emirates are close to the affected shoreline and are slow to recover from oiling.
The Gulf's shallow water and high temperatures speed the weathering of crude, which can limit how far a slick travels but also makes the residue harder to remove from mudflats. Clean-up teams are prioritising beaches and intakes, while survey flights map the slick's edge. Authorities have not said when the beaches will reopen.