Police teams rescue 16 people from drowning

Dubai: Police rescued 16 people from drowning after high waves stranded them off Ghantoot Beach on Friday as a result of a change in weather.

Police said a group of people were spending their weekend camping in tents near the beach.

They had not heeded the instructions of the Met Office and Dubai Police's warnings regarding staying away from beaches because of strong winds and high waves.

Colonel Pilot Anas Al Matroushi, Deputy Director of Dubai Police's Operations Department for transport and rescue affairs, warned beachgoers against ignoring weather changes at this time of the year, which lead to changes in sea conditions and could result in an increase in drowning cases, especially among people who do not know about marine conditions.

He called on beachgoers to check the weather scene before going out by checking weather conditions in the media.

Captain Yahya Hussain, Acting Head of Dubai Police's Sea Rescue Section, said the accident took place at 6am on Friday.

The Control and Command Room received a report from a person at the same beach. The person said a number of people were spending the weekend on the beach since Thursday evening.

The person said the campers were surprised by the weather changes in the area and the waves which reached 12 feet.

Help at hand

Captain Hussain said rescue teams from Dubai Police's difficult missions section arrived at the scene and rescue officers helped the people out of their predicament.

The teams used rubber boats, jet skis, advanced disaster vehicles and rescue equipment to rescue the stranded people in an operation which lasted more than six hours. The victims suffered no serious injuries.

The rescue teams also towed away cars that had sunk in the water. The cars were badly damaged in addition to damage to personal property.

Captain Hussain said most sea accidents happen because many people do not know how to swim or because of a rise in the sea levels and water currents, while some accidents happen because beachgoers do not abide by the instructions of sea rescue personnel who are present along Dubai beaches and ignore the instructions posted on the beaches and the red flags which warn against swimming in certain locations.