Gem No. 2 Tanker Spill Expands to 35km Along UAE Coast

Satellite imagery from Monday showed the early stages of an oil spill from the Gem No. 2, a crude oil tanker struck near the Strait of Hormuz. By Wednesday, the slick stretched more than 35km (22 miles) from the ship. Radar data from MAIAR and BBC Verify indicates the leak, first visible on 19 October, expanded rapidly over the following two days.

The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment announced on Thursday that beaches near Umm Al Quwain were being affected. Verified video from Friday showed oil reaching the shore and blackening the water. The ministry stated it had "immediately began containment" to limit environmental impacts.

Security experts identified the strikes as part of an Iranian effort to assert control over the waterway in response to US military escorts. Vanguard reported that the Panama-flagged Gem No. 2 was hit by an unknown projectile on 9 October, just north of Al Jazeera Al Hamra. A fire broke out and was later extinguished. Footage from 10 October showed crew members running across the deck and donning life jackets. Iranian state media described the vessel as using an "unauthorized and dangerous route" to leave the strait. The Indian consulate in Dubai confirmed on 11 October that all 22 Indian crew members were rescued.

Prof. Steve Widdicombe, director of the Sharjah Marine Science Research Centre, told BBC Verify it was "inevitable that there will be an impact." Researchers note that the severity depends on the oil volume, evaporation rates, and clean-up effectiveness. Spills can trap turtles, smother seabirds, and damage fish gills. Long-term exposure to toxic compounds may also affect species' ability to reproduce.

The slick extends toward Siniyah and Khor Al Beidah islands, a globally recognized Key Biodiversity Area. These habitats include corals, seagrasses, and salt marshes. The area is home to green turtles and the critically endangered Halavi guitarfish. Eoghan Darbyshire of the Conflict and Environment Observatory called the spill's proximity to this area the "most concerning environmental angle."

This incident follows another major spill in August when oil reached the shores of Iran's Qeshm Island, threatening local wildlife and fishing communities. The Gem No. 2 was one of a record number of ships attacked in and around the strait at the start of October. Commercial vessels have come under attack from both Iranian and US forces amid the ongoing conflict.