UAE oil spill slick stretches 40 km near coast

A tanker oil spill off the United Arab Emirates has affected beaches in Umm Al Quwain, and satellite image analysis showed a slick stretching about 40 kilometres near the coast.

The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment said it detected a tanker oil spill affecting the emirate's beaches, north of Dubai. It said teams began containment, cordoning, clean-up and remediation work to limit environmental impacts, and that the beaches had been closed.

Police restricted access to the affected area, AFP journalists who went there said.

Satellite images analysed by AFP showed a hydrocarbon slick on October 19 surrounding a vessel about 20 kilometres off Umm Al Quwain. Images from October 21 analysed by Wim Zwijnenburg of the Dutch NGO PAX showed a slick about 40 kilometres long, covering 190 square kilometres and stretching to within six kilometres of shore.

The images did not show whether the slick was thick crude oil or a thin light oil sheen, Zwijnenburg said. He said crude oil would pose a serious pollution risk to beaches and marine ecosystems, while a lighter sheen could evaporate faster and create shorter-term risks.

The British maritime security agency UKMTO reported on October 9 that a vessel had been hit by a projectile off the UAE coast, causing a fire that was later brought under control. Maritime security company Vanguard identified the vessel as the Panamanian-flagged oil tanker GEM NO.2.

Many residents in northern parts of the UAE, including northern districts of Dubai, have reported chemical smells on social media in recent days. The UAE said the odours posed no health risk to residents.

The spill was reported as ships in Gulf waters have faced repeated attacks during the Middle East war. Since the war began in February with US-Israeli strikes on Iran, Tehran has claimed control over the Strait of Hormuz and has targeted ships transiting without its authorisation. Washington has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports and escorts tankers through the passageway.