Three drown in Ajman waters in six months

ajman — Three people drowned in Ajman waters in the first six months of the year and two others were rescued with injuries, an official of the Ajman Civil Defence has said.

Brigadier-General Mohammed Ali Jumeirah, director of Civil Defence for fire stations in Ajman, said they received 10 drowning reports in the first half of 2017. The number of deaths has been same as of the same period last year, but the number of injuries has been reduced by six. During the first six months of 2016, three people drowned off Ajman beaches and nine were rescued with injuries.

“Many people were rescued immediately after the quick intervention of Maritime Rescue Unit, which operates 24 hours a day along the coast of Ajman to save lives,” he said.

Brigadier-General Ali Jumeirah added that the Ajman Civil Defence is always ready to face all types of incidents in order to protect people’s lives and property, especially during summer. To respond to drowning reports, the department has established specialised rescue centres near the beaches to monitor the sea round the clock. The rescue teams at the centre consist of 15 officers who are proficient in swimming and are equipped with modern equipment for rapid response. The team also monitors the weather and condition of the sea to advise swimmers and beach-goers about the risk of areas that are dangerous due to the presence of sea currents, which increase during the presence of

Many people were rescued immediately after the quick intervention of Maritime Rescue Unit, which operates 24 hours a day.” Brig.-Gen Mohammed Ali Jumeirah, director of Civil Defence for fire stations in Ajman

strong winds and high waves.

He said many people do not comply with the directives of the rescue team members who advise them not to swim in dangerous places or at late night. “They don’t understand such practices put their lives at risk. The civil defence had distributed leaflets and pamphlets to the public in the beginning of summer to raise awareness about dangerous practices,” he added.

He said that the maritime rescue team is equipped with a surveillance drone to ensure rapid response by locating the person missing in the sea and rescuing him as soon as possible. He stressed that the presence of the drone has contributed to reducing drowning incidents in the emirate.

afkarali@khaleejtimes.com