Hotels seek strict action on oil spill

Fujairah: An oil spill off Al Aqah, near Dibba, has sparked concern for wildlife and beach-goers alike.

Authorities suspect the spill was a deliberate act by a passing oil tanker or cargo ship as it cleaned up its petrol tank for refuelling.

Although the practice is a clear breach of international maritime and environmental laws, similar illegal acts take place on a regular basis on the East Coast.

The latest spill reached the highly popular tourist area of Al Aqah in Fujairah, on Tuesday morning, forcing holidaymakers off the beaches.

The spill covered nearly 2km of a luxury hotel stretch which includes a number of well-known establishments.

Jean-Francois Laurent, general manger of Fujairah Rotana Resort and Spa, said as soon as the problem was identified, his staff immediately called in a specialist oil spill company as well as contacted the municipality and coast guards.

"We noticed the oil washing up on the beach early on Tuesday and the situation was really bad. We pulled our guests off the beach but the strong smell reached ... the lobby," he said

Laurent said many hoteliers in the area had expressed concern at the incident and would want "serious" action by the government.

He said: "We feel sorry that such a thing could happen and we hope the government would take it seriously and take the strongest measures against the offending parties."

According to staff at the resort, some dead animals also washed ashore, including turtles.

Sean Andrews, recreation manager at the resort, said the authorities were slow to react and urged stronger measures against offending vessels.

He said: "It took a long time for the relevant authorities to show up; the reaction should have been much faster to contain the spill but in the end we had to do much of the clean-up job ourselves."

"Many of our guests know that this area is advertised as having the best diving waters in the UAE but now it's covered in oil, which is a great shame," Andrews added.

Hoteliers said they expect the beaches to be open as soon as tomorrow as much of the oil has been removed.