Sharjah has temporarily closed beaches across the city as a precaution against marine pollution from an oil spill involving a maritime tanker, the Sharjah Government Media Bureau confirmed in a post on X on Wednesday, October 28.
The bureau said the closures were introduced proactively to stop the pollution reaching Sharjah's coastline, that specialised teams and the relevant authorities are taking the measures needed to safeguard the beaches, and that residents, visitors and sea-goers should follow official instructions and take updates only from official channels rather than circulating rumours.
Source: Gulf Business / Sharjah Government Media Bureau
The city-wide closure is an escalation for Sharjah, which had closed only Al Hamriyah Beach as a precaution on October 23. It follows Umm Al Quwain's closure of all its beaches and coastal areas on October 23 and Ras Al Khaimah's closure of all public beaches until further notice on October 24, after residents in several emirates reported a strong fuel-like smell and the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment confirmed an oil spill off Umm Al Quwain as its source.
Source: Emirati Times / Sharjah Media
The spill itself has widened. Images from the European Union's Copernicus satellite network dated October 24 showed the slick spreading close to the shores of Umm Al Quwain, Reuters reported. The UAE authorities have not named the tanker or stated the cause; experts told Reuters the oil is coming from the Gem No. 2, a tanker shipping sources said was struck by an unidentified projectile last month and caught fire before the fire was extinguished. The ministry has said the spill poses no health risk, according to earlier reporting.
Source: Reuters via OE Digital
October has been the worst month for attacks on commercial shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz since the US-Israeli war with Iran began, according to data compiled by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy cited by Reuters — the conflict's environmental bill is now landing on the northern UAE coast, where large Indian and Punjabi communities live, work and fish.
No reopening date has been announced for any of the closed beaches in Sharjah, Umm Al Quwain or Ras Al Khaimah. Beachgoers and fishermen in the northern emirates should follow the local authority and ministry updates before heading to the coast.