The key facts
- UAE ministry confirmed an oil spill from a tanker off Umm Al Quwain beaches; the fuel smell in Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain was deemed safe for health
- All beaches and coastal areas of Umm Al Quwain are temporarily closed; containment, cleanup and coastal monitoring are underway
- The ministry did not name the vessel; international maritime agencies link the spill to the tanker Gem No.2 (330 m), presumably attacked by an Iranian drone on October 9–10, when 22 Indian sailors were rescued
UAE authorities confirmed an oil spill off the coast
The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment early on Friday morning confirmed an oil spill from a tanker in the Arabian Gulf. According to the ministry, its technical monitoring and environmental assessment system detected a spill affecting the beaches of Umm Al Quwain. It was the spill that caused the strong fuel smell that residents of Dubai and the northern emirates had complained about in recent days.
Government measures and risk assessment
The ministry stated that the odors noticed in Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain do not pose a threat to residents' health, but urged people to stay away from any oil that may wash ashore. Emergency teams, together with local and federal authorities, began containment, cordoning off, cleanup and restoration. Coastal surveys, monitoring and impact assessment continue. All beaches and coastal areas of Umm Al Quwain are temporarily closed until assessments are completed and safety measures are determined. Fishermen and sea users were urged to follow the authorities' instructions and not to fish in affected areas.
Which vessel was affected — data from maritime agencies
The ministry did not name the vessel; however, according to international maritime agencies, it is the 330-meter tanker Gem No.2, which is presumed to have been attacked by an Iranian drone on October 9–10; at that time, 22 Indian sailors were rescued from the vessel. The extent of the oil slick remains unclear.
Context
The confirmation of the incident came amid growing concern over the environmental consequences of the war with Iran for the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea.
