The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) took precautionary measures to protect water sources of its desalination plant in the Jebel Ali area from any possible contamination due to the oil spill from a fuel tanker which sank in the Gulf off the Jebel Ali coast, a senior official said.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayyer, Director General of Dewa toured the plants and gathered first-hand information on the progress of work and protective measures taken to safeguard the sea water sources.

Al Tayyer said that the department had contingency plans and a network of booms had been laid to protect the water sources.

The official added that concerted efforts were being made to protect the coast and marine life of the UAE and to contain any pollution that might result from the accident.

The Iraqi tanker Zainab which was intercepted in the Gulf on suspicion of carrying Iraqi oil broke up because of bad weather and sank about 16.5 nautical miles from Dubai's Jebel Ali Port. It started spilling oil posing a severe threat to the UAE waters and coast. The oil slick covered a wide area of the sea.