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Drowning cases on the rise

Drowning accidents are very frequent during the hot summer months, especially when rules and regulations on safe swimming are flouted.

In Fujairah the beaches welcome everyone with open arms, but there is a lack of basic facilities and this has been cause for numerous instances of drowning.

People of all ages throng the beaches from early morning, and after 4pm. Some play beachball and others take to the waters all along the 70km stretch of beaches. Despite this no instruction boards or lifeguards are present. Beaches also lack bathrooms and other beach facilities.

Ibrahim Aly, a regular beach comer, is amazed at how negligent the authorities can be, as no designated areas are specified for swimming, and where the instruction posters should be set up. Flags to determine whether or not it is safe to swim must be installed (Black flags to indicate danger and white flags to indicate it is safe to swim). Also, signals (such as red barrels) should be placed in the sea to specify the safe depth for swimming and to prohibit swimming after the specified area. This is vital as there are areas, where the tide is dangerously high and jeopardises the life of the swimmers, particularly that of children and of non-competent swimmers. Subsequently, a massive number of drowning incidents occur.

Rashid Hamad is of the opinion that parents are responsible for the drowning incidents. He believes they ought to be discreet in choosing the appropriate time and place for swimming. He says that swimming in the morning is more dangerous than in the evening, as the tide is then most strong and the lack of lifeguards makes things worse. He also calls upon the parents to give their children swimming lessons and emphasizes that they must keep an eye on their children while swimming. Life-saving boats should also be available at the beaches, he added.

“The sea is the only common and free entertainment for the juveniles in Fujairah. It is incumbent on the authorities to arrange for the safety instructions and other facilities,” Ahmad Miran commented.

“People and specially youth come to the beaches to have fun. Then all of a sudden, an instance of drowning turns happiness to sadness and grief,” he lamented.

Colonel Juma Saif Al Ghashmi, Director of the Civil Defence Department in Fujairah, commented on the beach problems and the drowning incidents: “After the last drowning case, which occurred a few days ago, three police cars have been patrolling the beaches from 4pm to 7pm daily. Two patrols in Mirbah and Kadfaa and two in Fujairah city. Their job is to be on the lookout and to prohibit children from swimming after 6pm. Summer centres have also been advised to inform the Civil Defence of any planned sea voyages, and to arrange for lifeguards and ambulances to be made available at the appointed spots.”

He called upon the parties concerned to cooperate. The municipality must, for example, install instruction posters, particularly those, which indicate the risky areas, where swimming is to be prohibited. Life-saving jackets for youngsters should also be provided and the black and white flags must be made available.

Colonel Al Ghashmi also called upon the parents to accompany their children and to be alert, while they were swimming. He believes that they should send their children to factories and farms to spend their leisure time fruitfully.

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