UAE Seals Coast After Tanker Spill Reaches 35km

Authorities in the United Arab Emirates closed beaches and coastal zones near the northern city of Umm Al Quwain after oil from a struck tanker reached the shore. Verified video from Friday showed the substance turning the water black as it washed onto the sand. The country's Ministry of Climate Change and Environment stated it began containment work immediately to limit environmental impacts.

Satellite imagery captured the rapid expansion of the spill. On Monday, images showed the early stages of the leak from the crude oil tanker Gem No. 2. By Wednesday, the slick stretched more than 35 kilometers from the ship. A smaller leak was visible on October 19, but radar satellite imagery reviewed by BBC Verify and the intelligence firm MAIAR indicates the volume grew rapidly over the next two days.

The Gem No. 2 was hit by an unknown projectile on October 9, just north of Al Jazeera Al Hamra. The strike started a fire that was later extinguished. Footage posted on October 10 showed crew members donning life jackets on the deck amid thick black smoke. Iranian state media reported the vessel was attempting to leave the Strait of Hormuz via an unauthorized route. The Indian consulate in Dubai confirmed on October 11 that all 22 Indian crew members had been rescued.

Steve Widdicombe, director of the Sharjah Marine Science Research Centre, said an impact on the environment was inevitable. He noted that while spills can kill marine life quickly by trapping turtles or smothering seabirds, long-term harm depends on the volume and type of oil. He added that continued exposure to toxic compounds could affect the reproductive ability of species.

The slick extends toward Siniyah and Khor Al Beidah islands, a globally recognized Key Biodiversity Area. The region contains corals, seagrasses, and saltmarshes and is home to green turtles and the critically endangered Halavi guitarfish. Eoghan Darbyshire, a scientist at the Conflict and Environment Observatory, identified the proximity of the spill to this area as the most concerning environmental angle.

Security experts told BBC Verify the strikes on the Gem No. 2 were part of an Iranian effort to assert control over the waterway in response to US military escorts. This follows a similar incident in August when a large oil slick reached the shores of Iran's Qeshm Island, threatening local ecosystems and fishing communities.

The Gem No. 2 was one of a record number of ships attacked in and around the strait at the start of October. Commercial vessels have come under attack from both Iranian and US forces amid the ongoing conflict between the two nations.