Show caption: A lengthy strip of the UAE coast remains closed due to an oi…
A lengthy stretch of coastline from Sharjah to RAK has been shut for nearly three weeks
Ras Al Khaimah has reopened a number of beaches following the worst oil spill in the Arabian Gulf in years.
Seven public and hotel beaches are now safe to visit following clean-up efforts.
Ras Al Khaimah Government Media Office said these included: Flamingo Beach, Dahan Beach, Al Mairid Beach, and the Al Rams Corniche, along with beaches inside the Anantara, InterContinental and Cove Rotana resorts.
More beaches will be reopened when they are ready, officials said. A lengthy stretch of coastline from Sharjah in the south to RAK in the north has been closed for nearly three weeks.
Most beaches in Umm Al Quwain and Sharjah are still closed.
The oil spill was traced back to the supertanker Gem No.2, which was hit in a suspected Iranian drone attack in early October. The crew were rescued, but oil spilt into the Gulf over a period of weeks.
The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment confirmed the spill on October 22 after residents reported a strong fuel-like smell in parts of the UAE.
The government has since said the spill from the ship has been contained.
On Monday, Al Luluyah Beach in Khor Fakkan on the Gulf of Oman was closed due to a new oil spill. The incident was the first publicly confirmed oil spill on the east coast. Authorities did not specify the cause.
Dozens of tankers have been attacked in Strait of Hormuz area since the Iran war began in late February.
Environmental experts have warned that crude slicks and debris from munitions and vessels will pollute the region for many years.
Updated:
November 11, 2026, 2:31 PM
Source: The National · Ajanta Paul
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