阿联酋外海油污扩大逼近乌姆盖万海岸，多地海滩关闭
阿联酋外海一艘受损油轮泄漏的油污范围正在扩大，卫星图像显示油污已逼近北部酋长国乌姆盖万的海岸，多个沿海地区的海滩因此关闭。
欧盟哥白尼卫星观测网络 10 月 24 日的图像显示，过去几天里油污范围扩大，海面与乌姆盖万沿岸出现了大片深色油层。欧盟哥白尼哨兵 2 号卫星提供的图像显示，大量油污来自这艘油轮。
阿联酋气候变化与环境部周五表示，正在对一艘外海油轮的泄漏进行围控，该部正在开展环境评估。阿联酋当局没有公布涉事油轮的名称，也没有说明泄漏原因。但专家向路透社表示，油污来自一艘名为 Gem No.2 的油轮；航运界消息人士称，这艘油轮上月遭不明发射物击中，起火后火势被扑灭。
阿联酋北部多个酋长国已对沿海地区采取管制措施。气候变化与环境部周五表示，乌姆盖万市周边全部海滩与沿海地区已临时关闭；邻近的沙迦关闭了 Al Hamriyah 海滩，作为预防措施。哈伊马角当局周六表示，该酋长国全部海滩将关闭，直至另行通知。哈伊马角以海滩与豪华度假村闻名。
阿布扎比纽约大学水研究中心主任、工程学教授尼达尔·希拉尔向路透社表示，乌姆盖万外海报告的油污是一个严重的环境问题，在评估油污范围与移动情况期间，临时关闭海滩与沿海地区是一项审慎的预防措施。
路透社报道还提到，自美国与以色列同伊朗开战以来，针对海湾航运通道商船的袭击推高了海上交通的安全风险，也加剧了人们对冲突环境后果的担忧。华盛顿近东政策研究所汇编的数据显示，10 月是霍尔木兹海峡及附近水域商船遇袭最严重的月份。世界自然保护联盟在其网站上表示，阿联酋海洋生物种类丰富，包括海豚与海龟在内，海湾水域栖息着 500 多种鱼类。
Oil Spill Off UAE Widens Toward Umm Al Quwain Coast, Prompting More Beach Closures
An oil spill from a damaged tanker off the coast of the United Arab Emirates has widened, satellite images showed, triggering more beach closures and raising environmental concerns.
Images from the European Union's Copernicus satellite observation network dated October 24 show the oil spill has widened over the last few days and is reaching close to the shores of the northern emirate of Umm Al Quwain, with dark layers of oil spreading at sea and along its coastline. Images provided by the EU's Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites showed a large oil spill coming from the tanker.
The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment said on Friday that efforts were under way to contain oil leaking from a tanker offshore, with the ministry conducting an environmental assessment. Authorities have not named the tanker involved in the incident or said what caused the spill. But experts told Reuters that the spill was coming from a tanker called the Gem No.2, which shipping sources said had been struck by an unidentified projectile last month, causing a fire that was later extinguished.
Authorities across various northern emirates responded by restricting access to coastal areas. The ministry said on Friday that all beaches and coastal areas around the city of Umm Al Quwain were temporarily closed, while authorities in neighbouring Sharjah shut access to Al Hamriyah Beach as a precaution. In Ras Al Khaimah, known for its beaches and luxury resorts, authorities said on Saturday that all beaches in the emirate would be closed until further notice.
Nidal Hilal, Professor of Engineering and Director of New York University Abu Dhabi's Water Research Center, told Reuters: "The reported oil spill off Umm Al Quwain is a serious environmental concern. The temporary closure of beaches and coastal areas is a prudent precaution while the extent of the spill and the movement of the oil are assessed."
Reuters also reported that since the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran, attacks on commercial vessels in Gulf shipping lanes have driven up security risks for maritime traffic and heightened fears over the conflict's environmental fallout. October has been the worst month for attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and nearby waterways, according to data compiled by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy think tank. The International Union for Conservation of Nature says on its website that the UAE's marine life "is rich in fish, plants and corals, with over 500 different species of fish inhabiting the Gulf waters," including dolphins and marine turtles.
来源：GSM·美国（原文链接）
图片来源：图：乌姆盖万海滩（资料图）。照片：Sam Nabi，CC BY-SA 2.0，经维基共享资源。 / A beach in Umm Al Quwain (file photo). Photo: Sam Nabi, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
