Ras Al Khaimah closed all of its public beaches on Saturday until further notice, extending shoreline closures along the UAE’s northern coast a day after authorities confirmed an oil spill from a tanker in the Gulf.
The emirate’s Public Services Department announced the immediate closure in coordination with Ras Al Khaimah Police General Headquarters, through the two bodies’ official social media channels. The statement did not give a reason, and said a reopening would be announced in due course depending on conditions, Gulf News reported.
The move follows the temporary closure on Friday of all beaches and coastal areas in Umm Al Quwain, after the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment confirmed that oil from a tanker had reached the emirate’s shore. Sharjah authorities also closed Al Hamriya Beach as a precaution.
The ministry has said the spill was behind a fuel-like smell reported across several emirates in recent days, and that the odors pose no health risk. Containment, cordoning, clean-up and remediation work is under way with local and federal authorities, it said.
Umm Al Quwain Municipality said it was carrying out field operations to contain the spill, monitor conditions, identify affected areas and support clean-up work, The National reported. A satellite radar image captured on October 21 showed oil leaking from a tanker about 25 kilometers off the Umm Al Quwain coast, according to the European Space Agency image published by the newspaper.
Authorities have not named the vessel. The crude tanker Gem No.2 was struck on October 9 near Al Jazeera Al Hamra in Ras Al Khaimah, and satellite imagery reviewed by the BBC showed a slick from a ship matching its location and dimensions.
