All beaches in the UAE emirate of Ras Al Khaimah were closed until further notice on Saturday. The Public Services Department announced the closures in a statement shared by Ras Al Khaimah Police, without giving a reason. The move came a day after an offshore oil leak prompted beach closures in neighbouring Umm Al Quwain and Sharjah.
The UAE said on Friday that efforts were under way to contain oil leaking from a tanker offshore, and that its Ministry of Climate Change and Environment was carrying out an environmental assessment. All beaches and coastal areas around Umm Al Quwain city were shut until technical teams complete their assessments and decide on safety and marine protection measures, the ministry said, urging fishermen and other sea users to avoid affected areas.
Sharjah authorities closed Al Hamriyah Beach, near the border with Umm Al Quwain, as a precaution. Residents in parts of Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain reported unusual odours, which the environment ministry said posed no health risk.
Authorities have not named the tanker or said what caused the spill. Since the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran, attacks on commercial vessels in Gulf shipping lanes have heightened concerns about maritime security and the conflict's environmental toll.