The UAE announces that an oil leak has been detected off its coast, causing the smell of fuel to be emitted in 3 emirates

On Thursday evening, the UAE authorities announced that an oil leak had been detected from a marine tanker off its coast, which led to the smell being detected in the emirates of Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain. This came in a statement by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment in which it confirmed that “the technical monitoring and environmental assessment system in the country detected marine pollution resulting from an oil leak from one of the marine tankers, the effects of which extended to the shores of the Emirate of Umm Al Quwain, which resulted in odors observed by residents of the Emirate of Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain, which do not pose any health concerns or risks to the population.”

The Ministry continued in its statement: “As soon as the pollution was monitored, the specialized teams, in coordination with the concerned authorities, began taking the necessary measures to contain the pollution, cordon off the affected areas, and begin cleaning and treatment work to reduce its environmental effects, while survey operations continue as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of the marine environment.” She added: “As part of the precautionary measures, the Ministry has temporarily closed all beaches and coastal areas in the emirate, until the work is completed and the necessary procedures are determined.

It also calls on fishermen and seagoers to adhere to the instructions and refrain from fishing in the affected sites. The Ministry calls on the public to obtain information from official channels and avoid circulating rumours, stressing its commitment to keeping the public informed of the latest developments in the situation.