Oil spill washes up on UAE beaches after tanker strike
Satellite images show oil spreading for miles along the coastline, threatening local marine wildlife
An oil spill from a tanker attacked near the Strait of Hormuz is spreading along the United Arab Emirates (UAE) coastline, forcing the closure of some beaches and coastal areas.
Satellite images from Monday show the beginnings of the oil spill from a ship matching the location and dimensions of Gem No.2, which was damaged between 9 and 10 October during a record surge of vessel strikes by Iran.
The slick of oil had spread more than 35km (22 miles) from the tanker by Wednesday, the satellite imagery showed.
But the spill does extend towards Siniyah and Khor Al Beidah islands, a globally recognised Key Biodiversity Area containing habitats like corals, seagrasses and saltmarshes, as well as species including green turtles and the critically endangered Halavi guitarfish.