Oil spill from tanker Gem No.2 spreads more than 35 km along UAE coastline after Hormuz-area strike

An oil spill from the tanker Gem No.2, struck near the Strait of Hormuz on 9 October, has spread more than 35 kilometres from the vessel along the United Arab Emirates coastline, forcing the closure of beaches and coastal areas near the northern city of Umm Al Quwain.

Satellite imagery reviewed by BBC Verify and intelligence firm MAIAR shows the slick — first detected as a smaller leak on 19 October — expanded rapidly over two days. The UAE's Ministry of Climate Change and Environment said on Thursday it had immediately begun containment operations to limit environmental impacts.

Maritime intelligence firm Vanguard reported the Panama-flagged tanker was struck by an unknown projectile on 9 October, just north of Al Jazeera Al Hamra, causing a fire on board that was later extinguished. The vessel's dimensions and location match satellite data, BBC Verify's analysis found. Iranian state media also shared footage of a ship matching Gem No.2 in the area.

The spill extends toward Siniyah and Khor Al Beidah islands, a globally recognised Key Biodiversity Area. Eoghan Darbyshire of the Conflict and Environment Observatory called the proximity to that area the "most concerning environmental angle." The islands contain corals, seagrasses and saltmarshes, and host species including green turtles and the critically endangered Halavi guitarfish.

Professor Steve Widdicombe, director of the Sharjah Marine Science Research Centre, told BBC Verify it was "inevitable that there will be an impact", but cautioned it is too soon to assess the extent of damage. Researchers noted the outcome depends on the volume and type of oil spilled, how quickly it evaporates or breaks down, and the effectiveness of the clean-up.

The strike on Gem No.2 occurred during what was described as a record surge of vessel strikes by Iran in the area.