Dubai
Dubai Civil Defence has honoured an Emirati man who rescued 18 sailors after he noticed smoke coming from their cargo ship and heard sailors shouting for help.
Major General Rashid Thani Al Matroushi, Director-General of the Dubai Civil Defence, honoured the Emirati hero, Ahmad Mohammad Al Muhairi, who was catching fish off Jumeirah beach when he noticed the sailors in the middle of the sea.
On March 12, Al Muhairi, was 19.3km (12 miles) off Jumeirah beach when he noticed the smoke and he rushed to help them with his small fishing boat.
He moved his boat closer the ship and the sailors jumped to his boat using an emergency ladder.
All the 18 sailors were rescued and he called Dubai Civil Defence.
A civil defence team and coast guards reached the spot and extinguished the fire within 20 minutes at 8:18pm.
The fire started in the ship captain’s cabin and nobody was injured.
“He was a hero as he went to help the sailors and didn’t care about the risk and the danger to his live. He wanted to save the 18 sailors. We want to thank him for his heroic act and his fast response which saved the lives of 18 people,” Maj Gen Al Matroushi said.
The Dubai Civil Defence asked the ship owners to train their crew about emergency situations and how to extinguish a fire when it happens and try to control it. “Everyone should know their roles when they face or deal with emergency situations which might happen anytime,” Maj Gen Al Matroushi added.
