Tanker Strike Leaves 35km Oil Slick on UAE Coast

Crude oil from the Gem No.2, a Panama-flagged tanker struck on 9 October, has spread across 35km of the United Arab Emirates coastline. The spill forced local authorities to close beaches and coastal zones near Umm Al Quwain, the northernmost emirate in the country. Satellite imagery captured on Wednesday confirmed the slick extended 22 miles from the vessel’s position in the Strait of Hormuz.

The incident began when an unknown projectile hit the ship just north of Al Jazeera Al Hamra, sparking a fire that crews extinguished shortly after impact. Verified video from 10 October shows crew members donning lifejackets amid thick black smoke. Iranian state media described the vessel as attempting to exit the strait via an unauthorized route. By 11 October, the Indian consulate in Dubai confirmed that all 22 Indian crew members aboard the ship had been rescued.

Radar data from MAIAR and BBC Verify indicates the leak grew rapidly between 19 October and the following days. A small patch of oil was visible on the 19th, but the slick expanded significantly over the next 48 hours. On Thursday, the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment stated that it began containment measures immediately to limit environmental impacts. By Friday, verified footage showed black oil washing ashore at the northern beaches.

The slick is moving toward Siniyah and Khor Al Beidah islands, a designated Key Biodiversity Area. This region hosts corals, seagrasses, and saltmarshes, as well as green turtles and the critically endangered Halavi guitarfish. Eoghan Darbyshire, a scientist at the Conflict and Environment Observatory, identified the proximity of the oil to these protected habitats as the most concerning aspect of the spill.

Steve Widdicombe, director of the Sharjah Marine Science Research Centre, said that some impact on marine life was inevitable. He noted that spills can kill animals by trapping turtles or smothering seabirds. Long-term exposure to toxic compounds in the oil may also affect the reproductive capabilities of local species. Researchers stated that the severity of the damage depends on the volume and type of oil, evaporation rates, and the effectiveness of the cleanup efforts.

The Gem No.2 was one of several vessels attacked in the region at the start of October. Security experts described the strikes as part of an Iranian effort to assert control over the waterway, a move taken in response to increased US military escorts for commercial shipping. This event follows a similar spill in August, when oil reached the shores of Iran's Qeshm Island, threatening local ecosystems and fishing communities.

The next phase of the response involves ongoing containment operations by the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment. Officials are monitoring the spread of the slick toward the islands while assessing the immediate damage to coastal habitats.