Oil spill from attacked tanker washes up on UAE beaches

Oil from a tanker struck in early October near the Strait of Hormuz is spreading along the coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the Gulf region, and authorities have closed some beaches and coastal areas. The spill is one consequence of attacks on shipping in the strategic waterway, where tensions between Iran and the United States have escalated.

How the spill spread

Radar satellite images reviewed by BBC Verify and the intelligence firm MAIAR show a relatively small leak coming from the vessel on 19 October. Within two days the slick grew rapidly, and by Wednesday it extended more than 35 kilometres from the ship. UAE authorities said on Thursday that the spill was affecting beaches near the northern city of Umm Al Quwain. Verified video from Friday shows oil washing ashore and turning the water black.

The UAE's Ministry of Climate Change and Environment said it immediately began containment to limit the environmental impact.

What happened to the ship

BBC Verify's analysis indicates the vessel is Gem No.2, a Panama-flagged crude oil tanker. Maritime intelligence firm Vanguard reported that it was struck by an unknown projectile on 9 October, causing a fire that was later put out. All 22 crew members, who were Indian nationals, were rescued, the Indian consulate in Dubai said. Iranian state media said the ship had been trying to leave the strait via an unauthorised and dangerous route.

Gem No.2 was among a record number of vessels reported attacked in and around the Strait of Hormuz at the start of October. Security experts say this was part of an Iranian effort to assert greater control over the strait, in response to the US military successfully escorting more ships through it.

Environmental impact

Steve Widdicombe, director of the Sharjah Marine Science Research Centre, said an impact was inevitable. Oil spills can kill marine animals immediately, and over the longer term toxic compounds can affect species' ability to reproduce. The extent of the damage depends on the volume and type of oil, how quickly it evaporates or breaks down, and how effective the clean-up is.

The slick extends toward Siniyah and Khor Al Beidah islands, a globally recognised Key Biodiversity Area with corals, seagrasses, saltmarshes and green turtles. Eoghan Darbyshire of the Conflict and Environment Observatory called this proximity the most concerning environmental angle. Another major oil slick reached the shores of Iran's Qeshm Island in August.