Sharjah: Six people drowned in Sharjah while 18 were saved but suffered injuries in the first seven months of the year, according to a top Sharjah Police official.
Major Rashid Bin Sandal, Director of Police Search and Rescue Department, said that the majority of victims ignored the ‘Red Flag’ warning and entered the sea either to swim or to jet ski.
Red flag postings on beaches are put in place to warn swimmers of high waves, wind and strong tidal conditions that threaten the safety of people entering the water.
“We saw 24 different accidents since the beginning of the year until the end of July. Police are set to launch a safety campaign titled ‘We are happy in your safety’ to educate people about the dangers of the sea and the risk of ignoring safety procedures,” said Maj Bin Sandal.
The police have stepped up safety measures at beaches to avoid incidents at sea such as jet-ski incidents and drowning.
Maj Bin Sandal said that the majority of drowning cases recorded in 2014 were due to beachgoers not adhering to safety instructions issued by police.
“Signboards are placed on the beach but some swimmers ignore them and endanger their lives by swimming in these areas. Also, many swimmers ignore the warning and choose to swim on days when turbulent weather is witnessed and when there is high tide, making swimmers more prone to drowning,” he said.
He noted that a rescue team and an ambulance patrol can be found every day at beach areas. They respond immediately to any emergency call and have rescued many people who were about to drown.
Maj Bin Sandal said that the Sharjah Police and Rescue Department are taking precautionary and preventive measures and distributing patrols in areas that witness drowning incidents in order to spread safety awareness.
Maj Bin Sandal urged the public to call police on 999 or 06-5631111 if they spot anybody in danger in the water. He said the public should take note of weather conditions and abide by the signboards near swimming areas.
