Ras Al Khaimah Emirate Closes All Beaches Until Further Notice - Sarmad

The General Services Department in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, announced on Saturday the closure of all emirate beaches until further notice, a day after an oil spill off the coast led to the closure of beaches in the neighboring emirates of Umm Al Quwain and Sharjah.

The department announced the closure in a statement published by the Ras Al Khaimah General Police Command. The statement did not specify a reason for the closure.

The UAE said on Friday that efforts were underway to contain an oil spill from a tanker off the coast, and that the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment was conducting an environmental assessment.

The ministry stated that all beaches and coastal areas around Umm Al Quwain city had been temporarily closed until technical teams completed their assessments and determined the necessary safety and marine environmental protection measures.

The ministry also urged fishermen and other sea users to avoid affected areas and comply with official instructions.

Sharjah authorities temporarily closed Al Hamriyah Beach on the northern coast of the UAE near the border with Umm Al Quwain, which the Sharjah Government Media Office said was done “as part of proactive precautionary measures.”

Residents reported unusual odors in parts of Sharjah, Ajman, and Umm Al Quwain, but the UAE Ministry of Environment stated that they did not pose health risks. The odor remained pungent in Umm Al Quwain on Friday.

UAE authorities did not name the tanker involved in the incident or specify the cause of the spill.

Since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran, attacks on commercial vessels in Gulf shipping lanes have heightened concerns about maritime security and the environmental repercussions of the conflict.