Ras Al Khaimah has closed all its beaches until further notice after an oil slick from a stricken tanker washed ashore, making it the third United Arab Emirates emirate to shut its coastline in three days. The emirate's Public Services Department announced the closures in a statement shared by Ras Al Khaimah Police General Headquarters on Saturday, 24 October. No reason was given in that statement.

Three emirates affected

The closures followed beach shutdowns a day earlier in neighbouring Umm Al Quwain and Sharjah. The UAE said on Friday that efforts were under way to contain oil leaking from a tanker offshore, with its Ministry of Climate Change and Environment conducting an environmental assessment. All beaches and coastal areas around the city of Umm Al Quwain were temporarily closed until technical teams completed their assessments and determined the necessary safety and marine protection measures, and fishermen and other sea users were urged to avoid affected areas and follow official instructions. Authorities in Sharjah temporarily closed Al Hamriyah Beach, on the northern coast near the border with Umm Al Quwain, as a precaution.

Wider Gulf context

Since the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran, attacks on commercial vessels in Gulf shipping lanes have heightened concerns about maritime security and the conflict's environmental fallout. Ras Al Khaimah, a northern emirate known for its beaches and luxury resorts, is also home to the planned Wynn Resorts casino resort on Al Marjan Island, which the operator said in February it expected to open in the first quarter of 2027. Residents reported unusual odours in parts of Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain, but the UAE environment ministry said they posed no health risks.