Police safety warning to Sharjah beachgoers

SHARJAH // Sharjah Police have a warning for beach-loving families: the need to watch your children is relentless.

“We urge parents to keep an eye on their children, especially those who can’t swim, and to report any incident to the rescue teams on the beaches,” said Maj Ibrahim Al Sarah, deputy director of police media.

As part of a police campaign to make beaches safer, police are posting advice and messages on their social media sites. Warnings will also be posted on signs along beaches.

The campaign is timely, as two Emirati brothers were swept away last month off the coast of Oman.

Katherine David says she is always alert when she takes her two boys swimming near Coral Beach hotel.

“My seven-year-old is always running around near the water,” Ms David said. “My eyes are always on him and I’m always no less than 2 metres away.”

She said she put arm floats on her children when they went in the water, but admitted that watching them could be too much to handle by herself.

“I can’t keep an eye on my two kids at the same time, so my husband helps to make beach outings safe and enjoyable,” said Ms David, 35.

Sharjah’s police and coastguard are often called to rescue people – and sometimes to retrieve bodies from the water.

“People should heed the instructions and signs found on the beaches to ensure their safety,” Maj Al Sarah said. “They should not swim where there are high tides and turbulence.”

Mohammed Khalid, an Egyptian, said he has never gone too far out into the water after he found himself in trouble once. Luckily he was rescued by his brother, a strong swimmer

“When I started swimming I ventured deep, and I felt the waves pushing me out to the sea,” said Mohammed, 17. “I struggled to get back and shouted for my brother, who came and pulled me back.”

His friend Ahmad Nazir, also 17, said teenagers often jumped from rocks and fooled around in the water where the currents were strong. “While swimming, my friends sometimes jump on top of me and pull me down in the water. I ran out of breath many times while they were pinning me down.

“I once jumped from the top of a rock. My hand got bruised and severely cut when I hit a sharp rock in the water, which required me to go to a clinic.”

Sharjah Police also regularly crack down on jetskiers who ride too close to the shore.

In February, a Kenyan jet-skier was killed after she crashed into rocks in Al Mamzar lake, while in May officers confiscated 60 jet skis as part of a safety campaign.

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Previous incidents at Sharjah beaches:

Sharjah police and coastguard are often called to rescue people who have found themselves in trouble while swimming off the emirate’s beaches, although sometimes they are also tasked with retrieving bodies.

Most incidents happen during the cooler winter months, although the beaches remain popular with residents and tourists all year round.

In May, police rescue teams recovered the body of a 20-year-old man who drowned while swimming with a friend off Al Humariah beach. In March, a 27-year-old Syrian man drowned while swimming at Al Khan beach.

In October last year, a Pakistani man drowned and a compatriot was rescued after getting into trouble in the sea off Al Khan beach.

On arriving at the scene, rescue and ambulance teams found that A K, 38, was dead, while M  S, 36, was in a serious condition. He was taken to Al Qassimi Hospital for treatment.

Earlier that month a 75-year-old Kuwaiti man drowned while swimming in the same stretch of coast. Officers and ambulance crews arrived to find that the man had been rescued from the water by onlookers but was lying motionless on the shore. He was taken to Kuwaiti Hospital where he was confirmed dead.

In May, a 17-year-old Syrian boy drowned while swimming along the coast in Al Humariah. The teenager was rescued from the water and taken to Khalifa Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Al Khan beach is one of the most popular in the emirate and lined with dozens of hotels that attract thousands of tourists each year. But it is also one of the most dangerous places for swimmers, with dozens of drownings reported annually, particularly during peak season.

Authorities in the emirate have repeatedly warned residents and visitors about the danger of swimming in rough sea with strong currents. In June 2013 part of Sharjah's main beach was closed to the public after four people drowned earlier that year.

Barriers prevented people from reaching the water after it was ruled too dangerous. The ban was in place throughout the summer and thousands of brochures were also printed in English and Arabic warning people not to ignore “no swimming” signs, not to go out in to deep water and never to allow children to swim alone.

tzriqat@thenational.ae