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28 March 2024

Boy drowns, two rescued from sea

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By Staff

Authorities warned swimmers against venturing into sea during unstable weather conditions as a 10-year-old Emirati boy drowned while two adults were rescued in three separate incidents in Sharjah and Ajman on Friday.

The victims went swimming ignoring the clear warning signs installed on the beach due to high tide and rough sea, Khaleej Times reported.

The boy went swimming at Al Heera beach in Sharjah with his friends in the dark, which authorities warned is particularly dangerous, as lack of light hampers search and rescue operations.

Apparently, as the currents got faster, at around 10 pm the boy suddenly began drifting away into the sea and the police was immediately notified.

However, the police could not save him because it was difficult to spot him in the dark.

Sharjah Civil Defence official, Khalid Dawood, warned parents against allowing children to swim without elders’ supervision.

In two other incidents, a 35-year-old Egyptian was rescued by a coast guard as he was fighting currents at Al Heera Beach, while a 45-year-old Indian was saved after he went swimming at the beach in the Sharjah-Ajman border area.

The Indian is reportedly stable, however, the Egyptian is fighting for life in the ICU at Al Kuwaiti Hospital in Sharjah.

Brigadier Saleh Saeed Al Matrooshi, Director of the Ajman Civil Defence, said that the Indian man was saved by the rescue unit deployed on the Ajman beach to ensure the safety of swimmers during summer. “The man was rescued and was immediately taken to Khalifa Hospital,” he added.

Brigadier Al Matrooshi said that the man was swimming despite an unstable weather warning. Most people don’t follow warnings to stay away from the sea, issued after bad weather is forecast, he added.

“Friday, in particular, witnessed very bad weather conditions resulting in high tides. This makes it very risky. Beach-goers must check with the Met office before planning to go swimming. They should look out for the colour of the flag placed all along the beach and should cross-check whether it is safe to swim on a particular day. This man survived as the rescue team spotted him on time.”

In Sharjah, the Egyptian was rescued by a coast guard and rescue unit of the Sharjah Police. According to the police, the man had gone to an unauthorised area in Al Heera beach where waves are high. The weather was bad and the man went to swim despite the warning signs installed at the beach.