An oil spill from a tanker in the Persian Gulf has forced the United Arab Emirates to close more beaches. Ras Al Khaimah's public services department closed all of the emirate's beaches "until further notice" on Saturday, 24 October 2026. Umm Al Quwain had closed all its beaches and shoreline on Friday, and Sharjah also shut Al Hamriyah beach as a precaution.
The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment confirmed the spill on Friday and attributed the strong smell of fuel in recent days to it. The ministry says the smell poses no health risk and has asked fishermen to stay away from the polluted areas. UAE officials have named neither the tanker nor the cause of the spill. Residents of Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain had reported the smell of fuel.
Oil slick 25 kilometres off the coast
A European Space Agency radar image on 21 October showed an oil slick about 25 kilometres off Umm Al Quwain. John Burt, a professor at New York University Abu Dhabi, has warned that if the oil reaches the shore, cleaning it up will be costly and full environmental recovery could take years.
An oil spill in the middle of a war on ships
No official has yet linked the spill to a specific attack, but in recent months the Persian Gulf has been the scene of repeated attacks on commercial ships. A Washington think tank has recorded 113 attacks on ships since 28 February and called October the month with the most attacks; the International Maritime Organization has counted 120 incidents. The IRGC has repeatedly claimed responsibility for attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and has made unwitnessed claims about tankers hitting mines.
The war on ships in the Persian Gulf has now reached the coasts and the environment of Iran's neighbours.
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first.