Ras Al Khaimah shuts beaches as neighbours grapple with oil spill

Ras Al Khaimah authorities said on Saturday that all beaches in the emirate would be closed until further notice, a day after an offshore oil leak prompted beach closures in neighbouring Umm Al Quwain and Sharjah. The Public Services Department announced the closures in a statement shared by Ras Al Khaimah Police General Headquarters. No reason was given. The United Arab Emirates said on Friday that efforts were underway to contain oil leaking from a tanker offshore, with its Ministry of Climate Change and Environment conducting an environmental assessment. All beaches and coastal areas around the city of Umm Al Quwain were temporarily closed until technical teams completed their assessments and determined the necessary safety and marine protection measures, the ministry said. 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. Residents reported unusual odours in parts of Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain, but the UAE's environment ministry said they posed no health risks. The smell remained pungent across Umm Al Quwain on Friday. UAE authorities have not named the tanker involved in the incident 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 fallout.