Oil Spill Off UAE Widens Toward Umm Al Quwain Coast, Prompting More Beach Closures
An oil spill from a damaged tanker off the coast of the United Arab Emirates has widened, satellite images showed, triggering more beach closures and raising environmental concerns.
Images from the European Union's Copernicus satellite observation network dated October 24 show the oil spill has widened over the last few days and is reaching close to the shores of the northern emirate of Umm Al Quwain, with dark layers of oil spreading at sea and along its coastline. Images provided by the EU's Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites showed a large oil spill coming from the tanker.
The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment said on Friday that efforts were under way to contain oil leaking from a tanker offshore, with the ministry conducting an environmental assessment. Authorities have not named the tanker involved in the incident or said what caused the spill. But experts told Reuters that the spill was coming from a tanker called the Gem No.2, which shipping sources said had been struck by an unidentified projectile last month, causing a fire that was later extinguished.
Authorities across various northern emirates responded by restricting access to coastal areas. The ministry said on Friday that all beaches and coastal areas around the city of Umm Al Quwain were temporarily closed, while authorities in neighbouring Sharjah shut access to Al Hamriyah Beach as a precaution. In Ras Al Khaimah, known for its beaches and luxury resorts, authorities said on Saturday that all beaches in the emirate would be closed until further notice.
Nidal Hilal, Professor of Engineering and Director of New York University Abu Dhabi's Water Research Center, told Reuters: "The reported oil spill off Umm Al Quwain is a serious environmental concern. The temporary closure of beaches and coastal areas is a prudent precaution while the extent of the spill and the movement of the oil are assessed."
Reuters also reported that since the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran, attacks on commercial vessels in Gulf shipping lanes have driven up security risks for maritime traffic and heightened fears over the conflict's environmental fallout. October has been the worst month for attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and nearby waterways, according to data compiled by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy think tank. The International Union for Conservation of Nature says on its website that the UAE's marine life "is rich in fish, plants and corals, with over 500 different species of fish inhabiting the Gulf waters," including dolphins and marine turtles.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：乌姆盖万海滩（资料图）。照片：Sam Nabi，CC BY-SA 2.0，经维基共享资源。 / A beach in Umm Al Quwain (file photo). Photo: Sam Nabi, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
