An oil slick from a damaged tanker has reached the UAE coast, forcing authorities to close beaches in Umm Al Quwain and nearby emirates. The UAE's Ministry of Climate Change and Environment said on October 23 that its monitoring system had detected the spill, and it shut all beaches and coastal areas in Umm Al Quwain. Sharjah closed Al Hamriyah Beach as a precaution, and Ras Al Khaimah later announced that all of its beaches would stay closed until further notice. Officials have not named the vessel, but analysts and shipping sources point to the Gem No.2, which was reportedly hit by an unidentified projectile on October 9 about 13 nautical miles west of Al Jazeera in the UAE. Video from the coast shows cleanup crews in protective gear scooping dark oil off sandy beaches and out of shallow water, with equipment set up near rocky shorelines under hazy skies.

Satellite data suggests the slick has ballooned from roughly 180 to 750 square kilometers since mid-October, raising fears for marine habitats, biodiversity, and the desalination plants that supply much of the UAE's water. The ministry says the strong smell reported by residents in Umm Al Quwain, Sharjah, and Ajman poses no health risk, and it describes the closures as precautionary. Containment, cleanup, and remediation work began immediately, but no reopening date has been given. The spill is unfolding while vessels in Gulf waters keep coming under attack during the Middle East war, and authorities have not officially confirmed what caused the leak. For now, residents and visitors are left asking how far the slick will spread and how long the beaches will stay shut.