Oil Leak Stopped From Tanker Offshore UAE, Clean Up Efforts Continue

The United Arab Emirates said on Friday that an oil leak from the Gem No. 2 tanker had been stopped, with no new leakage detected, as cleanup operations continued along coastlines affected by the spill.

The oil slick is concentrated off the northern emirate of Umm Al Quwain and extends partly towards coastal areas in the neighbouring northern emirates of Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman and Sharjah, state news agency WAM reported, citing the environment ministry. The density of marine pollution has declined markedly, it added.

Authorities have temporarily closed some beaches and coastal areas as a precaution, though the ministry said this did not necessarily mean pollution had been detected at every site affected by the closures.

Environment ministry teams are carrying out field surveys, monitoring and cleanup operations in coastal areas reached by the pollution, in coordination with federal and local authorities, WAM said.

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