Beaches shut after oil tanker 'hit in missile strike' near Strait of Hormuz causes huge spill close to UAE tourist resort

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.

Dramatic images show the ship - believed to be the Panama-flagged Gem No 2 - well alight, and burning oil spreading into the sea.

Authorities said it has affected beaches around the city of Umm Al Quwain, a northern emirate near the Strait of Hormuz. 

Its beaches have temporarily been shut down until technical teams complete safety and marine protection 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. 

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. 

It added that any odours posed no health risks. 

The ministry also urged fishermen and other sea users to avoid affected areas and follow official 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. 

Satellite images showed on Wednesday the oil had spread more than 22 miles from the 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.

UAE authorities have not named the tanker involved in the incident or said what caused the spill. 

Oil spills release toxic chemicals and heavy metals that can cause death to wildlife, contaminate water systems and lead to severe health issues.

The beach closures and any potential ruined seafood stocks or boating bans can devastate the local coastal 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.

'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.

'Furthermore, a slick this close to shore increases the chance it could impact nearby beaches and ecologically sensitive habitats,' he said.

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.

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. Earlier that week, a tanker was also struck off the coast of Qatar inside the 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.

Prevailing currents, it said at the time, could carry the slick southwest toward the UAE 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.