Police save sailors as dhow starts to sink in Dubai Creek

Police in Dubai came to the aid of six sailors who were in troubled waters as their dhow began to sink.

The Maritime Rescue Department received an emergency call from the captain of the vessel as it sailed out of Dubai Creek.

The dhow was taking in large amounts of water because of a crack caused by overloading the vessel with cargo.

“The Command and Control Centre at Dubai Police received an emergency call from the dhow’s captain as water started filling the boat, as they were sailing out of Dubai Creek to an Asian country,” said Lt Col Ali Al Naqbi, head of the Maritime Rescue Department at the Ports Police Station.

Patrols sent out to the stricken boat rescued the sailors.

Police said the crew were all from Asia. The force did not specify the nationalities of the crew or the date of the incident.

Police divers inspected the vessel and found that the crack was so large that the ship would need to be taken to the nearest dock quickly.

Police were able to secure the dhow at the dock before it could sink.

“Our teams succeeded in towing the dhow to a nearby dock, then our divers installed special rescue balloons to help keep the boat afloat,” Lt Col Al Naqbi said.

He urged the owners of boats, ships and yachts to use the Sail Safely service on the Dubai Police app if they come into difficulty.

People can use the service to immediately send distress calls to police and ensure a rapid response to emergency situations.