Muscat: A team of expert divers from the International Disabled Diving Association (IDDA) arrived here on Thursday to conduct a six-day diving course for physically-challenged Omanis. The course begins on Saturday at Salalah.
"This is our third such camp after similar ones conducted earlier in Muscat and Sur," said Tarek Jawad Jaffar Al Khabori, who is coordinating with the international experts.
Al Khabori said that Oman is the first country in the GCC to introduce diving not only for the physically-challenged, but also for the mentally-challenged citizens.
"As far as I know, we are the first ones to introduce diving for the disabled in the region," he said.
He added that they hope to get physically challenged citizens from Bahrain and the UAE to come to Oman join in this effort.
"Since we started a year ago, we have had tremendous response," he said, adding that they have 52-year-old to 12-year-old disabled coming to them to take up the new challenge," Khabori said.
He also pointed out that diving was a kind of therapy for the disabled. "Wheelchair-bound people get total freedom under water and the expression on their faces while diving tells it all," said Stefanie Trier, who is a qualified diving instructor for the disabled and is largely instrumental in bringing diving for the disabled to Oman.
She revealed that the event will offer physically challenged people in Oman the possibility to explore the beauty of the underwater world.
"Information evenings will offer handicapped people, family and friends of the handicapped, physiotherapists and doctors the possibility to learn more about the positive effects of scuba diving and its methods and restrictions," the German said.
