UAE says oil leak from tanker has been stopped, pollution eases
The oil slick is concentrated off the northern emirate of Umm Al Quwain and extends partly towards coastal areas in the neighboring northern emirates of Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman, and Sharjah.
The United Arab Emirates announced on Friday that the oil leak from the Gem No. 2 tanker has been halted, with no further leakage observed. Cleanup efforts are ongoing along the coasts impacted by the spill, according to state news agency WAM, which reported this information from the environment ministry. The concentration of marine pollution is now primarily off the northern emirate of Umm Al Quwain, with some extent into coastal regions of neighboring Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman, and Sharjah, the ministry reported.
The density of marine pollution has significantly decreased, the agency added. Authorities have temporarily suspended access to certain beaches and coastal zones as a precaution, although this doesn't necessarily indicate pollution was detected at every affected site, the ministry clarified. Teams from the environment ministry are conducting field surveys, monitoring, and cleanup operations in areas affected by the pollution, in collaboration with federal and local authorities, WAM reported.
While the source of the leak remains undisclosed, shipping sources have informed Reuters that the tanker was hit by a projectile on October 9, leading to a fire that was ultimately controlled. Since the onset of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, commercial vessels in Gulf shipping lanes have faced heightened security risks, and concerns have grown over the environmental consequences of such conflicts.
As part of the cleanup, technical teams have repaired damaged components of the tanker, reactivated some operational systems, and are evaluating the vessel's structural integrity to determine the most secure method for handling it, WAM cited the energy ministry.
In terms of public safety, the UAE has stated that fish and food products available in local markets are safe for human consumption. The country heavily relies on desalination plants for its drinking water supply, and measures to safeguard these water sources will not disrupt their distribution, the ministry stated. Given that the UAE's economy, including ports and industrial facilities, is largely centered along its coastline, marine contamination poses a particularly sensitive issue.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
