Beaches have been closed off to the public after an oil spill from a tanker which was attacked is spreading along the United Arab Emirates coastline.
asserted
which → close → coastline
Authorities said it has affected beaches around the city of Umm Al Quwain, a northern emirate near the Strait of Hormuz.
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it → say → Hormuz
Its beaches have temporarily been shut down until technical teams complete safety and marine protection checks.
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teams → shut → checks
Residents living in the area and in northern parts of Dubai have reportedly said there is an unusual oil-like smell in the area, while some social media images show the sea completely blackened.
uncertain
sea → live → area
The UAE's Ministry of Climate Change and Environment said in a statement that containment operations had been launched and an environmental assessment was being carried out.
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assessment → say → statement
It added that any odours posed no health risks.
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odours → add → risks
The ministry also urged fishermen and other sea users to avoid affected areas and follow official instructions.
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ministry → urge → instructions
Authorities in Sharjah temporarily closed Al Hamriyah Beach, on the UAE's northern coast near the border with Umm Al Quwain, as a precaution, the Sharjah Government Media Bureau said.
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Bureau → close → precaution
Beaches have been closed off to the public after an oil spill from a tanker which was attacked is spreading along the United Arab Emirates coastline.
asserted
which → close → coastline
Some social media images show the sea completely blackened
Satellite images showed on Wednesday the oil had spread more than 22 miles from the tanker
Satellite images showed on Wednesday the oil had spread more than 22 miles from the tanker.
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oil → show → tanker
Initially the oil leak appeared much smaller and could be seen emerging from the ship on October 19, but it has rapidly spread over two days, according to satellite analysis by the BBC.
uncertain
it → appear → BBC
UAE authorities have not named the tanker involved in the incident or said what caused the spill.
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what → name → spill
Oil spills release toxic chemicals and heavy metals that can cause death to wildlife, contaminate water systems and lead to severe health issues.
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that → release → issues
The beach closures and any potential ruined seafood stocks or boating bans can devastate the local coastal economy.
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closures → ruin → economy
Martin Kelly, CEO of Orbital Risk Intelligence, said that the spill was coming from a tanker called the Gem No2 and analysts say satellite imagery from October 19 and 21 appears to show a significant oil slick from the tanker.
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imagery → say → tanker
'The slick is considerably larger, covering approximately 160 km2, and looks to be coming from the ship,' Leon Moreland, researcher at the Conflict and Environment Observatory, said.
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Moreland → cover → Observatory
'Furthermore, a slick this close to shore increases the chance it could impact nearby beaches and ecologically sensitive habitats,' he said.
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he → increase → beaches
Shipping sources said on October 9 that the Gem No2 was struck by an unidentified projectile 13 nautical miles west of Al Jazeera in the UAE, causing a fire that was later extinguished.
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that → say → fire
While no group claimed responsibility, maritime security sources said at the time that the incident occurred outside the Strait of Hormuz and pointed to a widening of risks for commercial shipping.
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incident → claim → shipping
Earlier that week, a tanker was also struck off the coast of Qatar inside the Gulf.
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tanker → strike → Gulf
Maritime intelligence firm Windward first identified the spill on Tuesday, writing in a post on X that a VLCC-sized vessel was leaking oil about 25km (16 miles) off Umm Al Quwain.
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vessel → identify → Quwain
Prevailing currents, it said at the time, could carry the slick southwest toward the UAE coastline.
uncertain
it → say → coastline
'Windward's drift model shows it reaching Sharjah's and Ajman's desalination intakes and ports by (October 22–23) if the leak isn't stopped,' it wrote on X.
The UAE relies on desalination plants for most of its drinking water, and much of the economy – including ports and industrial facilities – is also located on the coast, making any contamination along its shoreline particularly sensitive.
The spill follows a separate tanker-related environmental incident in August, when oil from a tanker that ran aground off Oman began reaching the mainland coast.
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that → show → coast
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