Three killed in drowning incidents in Oman

Muscat: Three deaths in separate drowning incidents over the weekend has prompted the Royal Oman Police (ROP) to urge people to be cautious, especially with children, near water during the summer months.

Two Omanis reportedly drowned at a pool in Maqal village in the province of Wadi Bani Khalid, about 170km east of Muscat. In another drowning incident in the same area but a different pool, an Asian tourist died, according to a ROP spokesman. The visitors to the area reported the drowning incidents to the Bidiya police station who, along with the Civil Defence teams, fished out the bodies.

The ROP spokesman said that drowning incidents are on the rise in the country. “Our records show that the children drowning during summer is more common as people take to various water bodies to beat the heat,” he pointed out. “The drowning incidents, however, are much higher at sea,” he said, adding that people go for water sports and visit beaches in the country more often during the summer.

He warned that the sea could often be rough due to varied weather conditions and asked people to be careful while going to beaches. He also advised parents to first check the depth of water in gorges before letting children take a plunge. “The wadis [gorges] can be deceptive and deeper than they may appear,” he warned. He added that when these gorges are overflowing, they carry loose rocks and soil that can be dangerous. “Swimming in wadis (gorges) without being aware of their depth can be risky if people are not accustomed to swimming in such areas,” he said. “Parents are also advised not to allow their children to swim in muddy waters, as it becomes difficult to conduct search and rescue operations in case of drowning,” he said.