UAE Closes Beaches as Oil Spill From Struck Tanker Spreads Near Strait of Hormuz

OPA WIRE, Oct 24 (OPA) — United Arab Emirates officials closed beaches in Umm Al Quwain and Sharjah this week as an expanding oil slick reached the nation’s northern coastline. The spill originated from the Gem No. 2, a tanker that maritime security sources reported was struck by an unidentified projectile 13 nautical miles west of Al Jazeera on October 9. While the initial fire on the vessel was extinguished, satellite analysis indicates the leak has intensified, with the slick covering approximately 160 square kilometers as of October 21.

The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment has launched containment operations and is conducting environmental assessments. Officials stated that while residents in northern Dubai and Umm Al Quwain have reported a strong odor, current air quality readings pose no immediate health risks. The ministry has advised fishermen and maritime operators to avoid the affected zones as cleanup crews work to protect sensitive desalination intakes and industrial port facilities.

Maritime intelligence firm Windward identified the leak on Tuesday, warning that prevailing currents could push the slick toward critical desalination infrastructure. The Gem No. 2 incident is the latest in a series of maritime security challenges in the region; a separate tanker was struck off the coast of Qatar earlier in October. Analysts from the Conflict and Environment Observatory noted that the proximity of the spill to the shore significantly increases the risk to ecologically sensitive habitats.

Local authorities have not officially confirmed the cause of the ongoing leak, though the vessel remains the primary focus of the environmental response. The UAE, which relies heavily on coastal desalination plants for its drinking water supply, remains on high alert. The incident follows a separate environmental crisis in August, when oil from a grounded tanker off the coast of Oman reached the mainland, highlighting the vulnerability of the region's coastal economy to maritime disruptions.