UAE Beaches Turn Black as Tanker Oil Washes Ashore

Satellite imagery confirms that an oil slick stretching more than 35 kilometers, or 22 miles, has reached the coast of the United Arab Emirates. The spill originates from the crude oil tanker Gem No. 2, which was attacked near the Strait of Hormuz on October 9. Authorities in the northern city of Umm Al Quwain announced on Thursday that local beaches were being affected. Verified video footage from Friday shows oil washing ashore and turning the surrounding water black.

The leak was first visible in satellite data on October 19. Radar imagery reviewed by BBC Verify and the intelligence firm MAIAR indicates the spill grew rapidly over the two days following that initial detection. The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment stated it had "immediately began containment" to "limit environmental impacts." The ministry confirmed the closures of coastal areas to manage the spread of the crude.

The Gem No. 2 is a Panama-flagged vessel struck by an unknown projectile just north of Al Jazeera Al Hamra. The impact started a fire that was later extinguished. Footage from October 10 shows crew members running across the deck in black smoke. Iranian state media reported the ship was attempting to leave the strait via an "unauthorized and dangerous route." The Indian consulate in Dubai confirmed on October 11 that all 22 Indian crew members on board had been rescued.

Marine scientists warn that the spill poses immediate threats to local wildlife. Professor Steve Widdicombe, director of the Sharjah Marine Science Research Centre, told BBC Verify that an impact on the environment is "inevitable." He noted that oil can trap turtles, smother seabird feathers, and damage fish gills. Long-term exposure to toxic compounds may also reduce the reproductive capabilities of marine species. Researchers caution that the severity of the damage remains unclear pending data on the volume and type of oil spilled.

The slick is moving toward Siniyah and Khor Al Beidah islands. These islands form a globally recognized Key Biodiversity Area containing corals, seagrasses, and saltmarshes. The habitat supports green turtles and the critically endangered Halavi guitarfish. Eoghan Darbyshire, a scientist at the Conflict and Environment Observatory, described the proximity of the spill to this area as the "most concerning environmental angle."

Security experts say the strike on the Gem No. 2 was part of a series of attacks on ships in the strait during early October. They attribute the strikes to an Iranian effort to assert control over the waterway in response to US military escorts. Commercial ships have faced attacks from both Iranian and US forces during the conflict. This follows another major spill in August that reached the shores of Iran's Qeshm Island.