Ras Al Khaimah: An Emirati man from Al Rams in Ras Al Khaimah rescued four children who nearly got drowned in Al Rams Creek on Wednesday, after they entered an area with strong undercurrents and fell into a hole in the creek. The man was able to reach them on his speedboat and saved them from drowning. The children were aged between 12 and 14. Two of them were brothers.
Jassim Rashid Rajab, an employee with Ras Al Khaimah Civil Defence, told Gulf News that he went on a fishing trip on Wednesday. On his way back to the fishermen’s anchorage in Rams, he received a radio communication from one of his friends, stating that there were four children who were washed away by the sea and needed to be rescued as soon as possible. The friend had heard about the incident from Ras Al Khaimah Police.
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He added: “I was at the fishermen’s berth and I did not see anyone in the sea on my way back, except some vehicles on the shore of the Creek, which drew my attention and made me rush to the spot.”
Sea currents
Rajab explained: “When I got closer, I saw four children struggling with the waves and on the verge of drowning. Among them was a short child, clinging on to two other children, with the water having risen up to their mouths.”
He said the children tried to resist the waves, but sea currents were too strong and were washing them further away from the shore. Soon, the children were washed away to an area where a ditch had been dug for work on some sea project years ago. The children were even more prone to getting drowned once they reached that area, he added.
Rajab said that as soon as he reached the children, he pulled the youngest of the boys, a 12-year-old, who was latching on to his brother, and moved him to the boat. Then he started to pull ashore the other three, one after the other, and gradually managed to pull all of them out of the water. The youngest boy was suffering from fatigue and exhaustion as a result of swallowing the saline water, while the other three were too tired after resisting the waves and the strong currents.
Rajab said the children were taken to an ambulance that was parked onsite and first aid was administered to all four.
First information
Rajab said the first to see the four children at sea asking for help was an Emirati woman called Um Munther, who was standing at the door of her house, overlooking the Al Rams Creek. She immediately informed the authorities, who in turn circulated the distress call to all those present at sea, including fishermen and rescuers.
Rajab said it was sheer providence that he happened to be present nearby when the children got into trouble. Any delay in the rescue effort would have been dangerous.
Brigadier General Mohammad Abdullah Al Zaabi, Director General of Ras Al Khaimah Civil Defence, has honoured Rajab for his efforts and presence of mind and conveyed to him the greetings of Lt General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior. Rajab has been working for Ras Al Khaimah Civil Defence for 23 years.
Rajab said he received a call from the father of two of the children, who thanked him for saving the lives of his sons.
