On October 24, Ras Al Khaimah officials announced that all beaches in the emirate are closed until further notice. This decision comes a day after an oil leak offshore led to beach closures in the nearby areas of Umm Al Quwain and Sharjah.
The closures were declared by the Public Services Department in a statement released by the Ras Al Khaimah Police General Headquarters. No specific reason for the closures was provided.
The United Arab Emirates stated on Friday that it is working to control the oil spill from a tanker offshore. The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment is currently conducting an environmental assessment.
All beaches and coastal areas around Umm Al Quwain are temporarily shut down while technical teams perform their evaluations and decide on necessary safety and marine protection measures.
The ministry has advised fishermen and other users of the sea to stay away from the affected areas and to heed official instructions.
In Sharjah, authorities have temporarily closed Al Hamriyah Beach, located on the northern coast of the UAE near the Umm Al Quwain border, as a precautionary measure.
Since the onset of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, there has been an increase in attacks on commercial ships in Gulf shipping lanes, raising concerns about maritime security and the environmental impacts of the conflict.
Ras Al Khaimah, known for its beaches and luxury resorts, is also the site of Wynn Resorts' planned casino resort on Al Marjan Island. The Las Vegas-based company received the UAE’s first commercial gaming license in 2024 and anticipates opening the resort in the first quarter of 2027.
Wynn announced in March that construction had resumed after a brief pause, despite ongoing disruptions in the region due to the Iran conflict.
Residents in parts of Sharjah, Ajman, and Umm Al Quwain have reported unusual odors, although the UAE's environment ministry stated that these odors do not pose any health risks. The smell persisted strongly in Umm Al Quwain on Friday.
The UAE authorities have not disclosed the name of the tanker involved in the incident or the cause of the oil spill.