Emirati rescuer picked as EAY's 'person of the month'

An Emirati detective who risked his life to save a drowning man in Ras Al Khaimah has been selected as “person of the month” by Emarat Alyoum Arabic language daily, which introduced the award this month.

Adel Al Zaabi was picked for the award because of his “unique heroism”, when he saved an Arab man from drowning in Ras Al Khaimah after his car plunged in the water early this month.

“Adel deserves to be the first winner of the ‘person of the month’ award,” Emarat Alyoum’s editor in chief Sami Al Riyami said.

Al Zaabi, who works at the department of criminal investigation in RAK, was on a routine patrol near RAK’s Khor when he received a police alert that a car has just plunged in the water with two persons.

The driver, Mohammed Al Ansari, a Moroccan, succeeded in forcing his way out of the car and swimming to safety while his 25-year-old friend, Ibhrahim Buzarnit, got stuck in the car which was almost fully covered by water.

Zaabi said he spent some time looking for the car in the five-km Khor and was about to give up his search before he spotted it towards the edge.

“I took my clothes off and dived towards the water…the man’s head was slightly above water so he could breath but he was unable to leave the car…I tried to pull him out but failed in the beginning,” he said.

“I kept trying for nearly 10 minutes until I succeeded in dragging him out…I told him to stick on my back as he was injured and was bleeding…I then swam towards the shore, where an ambulance was waiting.”

The Dubai-based Emarat Alyoum, one of the most popular Arabic language newspapers in the region, launched the “person of the month” award this month to honour outstanding people for their role in the society, the first prize of its kind in the country.

An affiliate of the Dubai Media Incorporated, one of the largest media establishments in the region, Emarat Alyoum said its editing board would pick the person at the end of each month.

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