Fewer drowning incidents on Dubai beaches this year

Dubai Police launch awareness campaign urging people not to enter sea after sunset

Despite a dramatic decline in drownings this year, Dubai Police have warned beachgoers not to swim after sunset.

All six deaths due to drowning this year happened at night when Dubai Municipal lifeguards were off duty, Brigadier Abdul Qader Al Bannai, director of Ports police station, said.

There were three cases of injuries. This compares to 14 deaths and four injuries in the same period in 2017 and 29 deaths and six injuries in 2016.

The warning comes as part of an awareness campaign launched by Dubai Police yesterday to ensure safer beaches.

Major-General Ahmad Bin Thani, assistant commanderin-chief of Ports Affairs, said: “This campaign will help educate beachgoers about what to do when they go to the beaches and not to swim when there are high waves or bad weather.”

In May, for example, a 35-year-old Indonesian woman narrowly escaped drowning at Umm Suqeim beach. “She didn’t know how to swim, but went into the sea. She was rescued.

310 rescue operations

The municipality which has deployed 100 lifeguards at seven of Dubai’s beaches, conducted 310 rescue operations so far this year.

The Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services (DCAS) also announced that they will have a sea ambulance at eight beaches by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, Brig Ahmad Thani Bin Galita, director of Al Rafaa police station, warned beachgoers against taking pictures of women, disturbing others, or swimming in underwear.