Ras Al Khaimah officials ordered every beach in the emirate closed on Saturday. The order widened a coastal shutdown that started Friday in Umm Al Quwain and Sharjah after oil from a tanker leaked into the northern waters of the United Arab Emirates.
The Public Services Department announced the decision through a statement circulated by Ras Al Khaimah Police General Headquarters, without offering a detailed explanation. The UAE government said on Friday that crews were trying to contain oil escaping from a tanker offshore, while the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment carried out an environmental assessment, Al-Monitor and The Straits Times reported.
Beaches and coastal zones around Umm Al Quwain city were shut until technical teams completed their evaluations and established the required safety and marine protection steps, the ministry said. It also warned fishermen and other marine users to keep clear of affected zones and obey official guidance.
Sharjah authorities closed Al Hamriyah Beach, which lies on the northern coast close to the Umm Al Quwain border, as a precautionary measure, the Sharjah Government Media Bureau said.
People in Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain reported strong odours, but the environment ministry said the smells presented no health hazard. The odour stayed heavy across Umm Al Quwain on Friday.
UAE officials have not disclosed which tanker was involved or what caused the leak. A satellite image from the European Union's Copernicus Sentinel programme captured an oil slick off the Umm Al Quwain coast.
The US-Israeli war with Iran has increased worries about maritime security and environmental damage in Gulf shipping lanes, with attacks on commercial vessels rising since the conflict began.
Ras Al Khaimah, a northern emirate famed for its beaches and high-end resorts, also hosts the future casino resort that Wynn Resorts is building on Al Marjan Island. The Las Vegas operator, holder of the UAE's first commercial gaming licence since 2024, said in February it planned to open the property in the first quarter of 2027.
In a video published by The Art Of News, footage showed the extent of the oil slick reaching the coastline.