UAE oil spill: Everything we know as beaches close and clean-up drive continues

An oil spill from a supertanker off the coast of Umm Al Quwain has prompted authorities across the UAE to intensify containment efforts in order to minimize environmental damage and safeguard marine life. The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment announced the incident on Friday, attributing the strong fuel smell reported in several emirates to the spill.

The ministry assured the public that the odor posed no immediate health risk and stated that clean-up operations were underway, with assessments being conducted to ensure the best possible protection of the region's diverse and abundant marine ecosystems.

Beaches throughout the country have been closed as a precautionary measure to allow environmental teams to carry out critical work. The National investigates the details of the oil leak and its progress. The cause of the spill remains unclear, as the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment did not disclose the name of the vessel.

However, international maritime agencies attribute the incident to a suspected Iranian drone attack on the Gem No 2 tanker on October 9 or 10. Twenty-two Indian sailors were rescued from the 330-meter vessel at the time of the attack.

Immediate containment measures were implemented, including the creation of cordons, cleanup and remediation efforts supervised by local and federal authorities to minimize environmental impacts. Coastal surveys, monitoring, and assessments are being conducted to support the protection of the marine environment. Beaches and coastal areas in Umm Al Quwain were temporarily closed to enable technical teams to complete assessments and establish safety and marine protection measures.

Fishermen and sea-goers were instructed to adhere to directives issued by authorities and avoid fishing in affected areas.

Sharjah followed suit by announcing the temporary closure of all beaches on Wednesday as part of "proactive precautionary measures" to prevent potential marine pollution. The Sharjah Government Media Bureau stated that specialist teams were deployed to prevent marine pollution from reaching the beaches and urged the public and sea-goers to comply with safety measures and follow official channels for the most recent updates.

This decision came after Ras Al Khaimah closed all of its beaches on Saturday "until further notice," and follows the closure of beaches in Umm Al Quwain.

Experts emphasize the importance of swift action to limit the damage to the UAE's environment and marine ecosystems. Containment is considered vital to prevent pollution from reaching the coast, as it becomes increasingly challenging to clean up once it has already entered the water. Rob Mortimer, CEO of Fuelre4m, which supplies substances used to disperse oil slicks, advised that the initial priority should be to keep the oil together using floating barriers known as booms, allowing for the maximum recovery from the sea surface.

He explained that once the oil begins to spread and move around, it becomes more difficult to manage, even with the use of dispersants, which require covering a larger area.

Inesaf Benzaki, campaigns lead at Greenpeace Mena, highlighted the significance of timely containment due to the semi-enclosed geography of the Gulf, which limits the exchange of water with the open ocean. This situation could prolong the persistence of pollutants in the region's marine ecosystems. Benzaki pointed out that the coastal area forms part of a wider marine environment comprising shallow coastal waters, mangroves, seagrass meadows, and lagoons, which provide essential habitats for marine life and support coastal livelihoods.

She warned that even after visible oil has been removed, residues could remain in coastal sediments and sensitive habitats, prolonging the spill's effects. Benzaki expressed concern that if oil reached the UAE coastline, it could threaten sensitive marine and coastal ecosystems.