Muscat: The father of the two Emirati brothers who are believed to have drowned in Mirbat province on July 23, has scotched rumours of performing funeral prayers for his missing sons.
That response came after rumours circulated on social media platforms, suggesting that the family had come to a conclusion regarding the fate of the two.
Mohammad Mansour Al Dahri told Gulf News that there is still hope of finding his sons and search and rescue operations are on.
“I wish people would avoid disseminating such rumours out of respect for the sentiments of the family,” Al Dahri said.
Meanwhile, the Omani authorities have contacted the coast guard of neighbouring countries for further search for the two missing brothers. The Yemeni border is less than 150km from Mirbat.
The cold waters of the sea also hinder the search operations.
The search operations by the Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulance (PACDA) continued for the eleven consecutive day on Sunday.
There has been no trace of the missing brothers so far, according to an official at PACDA.
The tragedy occurred when four Emiratis went swimming in the Dimr area of Mirbat in Dhofar governorate.
Abdullah Mohammad Mansour Al Dahri, 21, and Mansour Mohammad Al Dahri, 19, went swimming in the sea despite warnings from authorities over rough waters.
Mohammad Al Dahri, a cousin who was with the brothers when the water dragged them away, painfully recounted the incident to Gulf News.
“Abdullah refused to let go of his little brother who was not a good swimmer after he saw him struggling to keep his head above the water,” he said.
High waves are believed to have dragged the Emirati brothers further into the sea.
The four Emiratis had visited nearby Salalah to escape the summer heat in the UAE. Salalah experiences more moderate temperatures during summer.
The PACDA has warned that rough seas will likely continue until September, cautioning nationals, residents and tourists in Dhofar governorate against taking to the water in such conditions.
Two Omani boys have been missing since last Thursday when they went swimming in Ras Al Had area of Sur province.
