Oil spill from attacked tanker reaches UAE beaches and islands

Crude oil from a tanker that came under attack near the Strait of Hormuz is now washing up along the United Arab Emirates coastline. Some beaches and coastal areas have been closed as a result. The spill originated from the Gem No.2, a Panama-flagged vessel that was hit between 9 and 10 October, during a period when a record number of ships reported strikes by Iran.

Satellite images captured on Monday showed the first signs of the leak. By Wednesday, radar imagery reviewed by BBC Verify and intelligence firm MAIAR indicated the slick had stretched more than 35km (22 miles) from the ship. On Thursday, UAE authorities confirmed the incident was affecting beaches near Umm Al Quwain. Verified video from Friday shows black oil lapping at the shore.

Environmental concerns grow

The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment said it “immediately began containment” to “limit environmental impacts.” But researchers say damage is already likely. Prof Steve Widdicombe, director of the Sharjah Marine Science Research Centre, told BBC Verify it is “inevitable that there will be an impact.” Still, he and other scientists caution that it’s too early to know the full extent.

Oil spills can kill marine life quickly—trapping turtles, coating seabird feathers, and damaging fish gills. Prof Widdicombe warned that longer-lasting harm could occur if species remain exposed to toxic compounds, potentially affecting their ability to reproduce. The spill is drifting toward Siniyah and Khor Al Beidah islands, a globally recognised Key Biodiversity Area. That zone contains corals, seagrasses, saltmarshes, green turtles, and the critically endangered Halavi guitarfish. Eoghan Darbyshire, a scientist at the Conflict and Environment Observatory, called the proximity to this area “most concerning environmental angle.”

Attack and aftermath

BBC Verify matched the ship’s dimensions and location to the Gem No.2. Maritime intelligence firm Vanguard reported the tanker was “struck by an unknown projectile” on 9 October, just north of Al Jazeera Al Hamra, causing a fire that was later extinguished. Footage posted on social media on 10 October shows crew members running across the deck in lifejackets as thick black smoke rises. Iranian state media shared similar video of the burning vessel, with oil spilling into the sea.

All 22 Indian crew members were rescued, according to the Indian consulate in Dubai on 11 October. The Gem No.2 was among a record number of commercial vessels attacked in and around the Strait of Hormuz in early October. Security experts told BBC Verify the strikes were part of an Iranian effort to assert greater control over the strait, in response to the US military successfully escorting more vessels through the shipping lane.