UAE: Two Emirati brothers save woman, four children from drowning

The two brothers Abdullah and Nader Ali Kassein who came to the rescue of the woman and her children.

Two Emirati brothers, with the help of an Asian worker, have saved an Emirati woman and four children from drowning in Al Rams Creek in Ras Al Khaimah.

Abdullah and Nader Ali Kassein rushed to their rescue after strong currents swept away the woman and the four children - two of whom are brothers while the other two are cousins - towards a deep hole in the creek. After the rescue, Abdullah and Nader contacted National Ambulance, who took the woman and children, aged between seven and 10, to hospital for treatment. They were discharged the following day after their condition stabilised.

What happened?

Abdullah told Gulf News that he, Nader and their family were on a cruise trip last Friday around 6pm on Al Rams Creek when they heard screams asking for help from a distance of some 200 metres. He added that he turned off the cruise’s engine to hear the sound more clearly. He heard a child screaming and calling for help. He wanted to reach them but the shallow water of the creek would have made the cruise’s engine hit in the bed of the creek.

Abdullah and Nader swam to the woman and children, and an Asian worker came to help them. The mother was exhausted, so they had to bring the cruise closer despite the risk, to rescue the mother. Meanwhile the four children were carried by his brother and the worker to the bank of the creek.

Abdullah said the mother was unable to speak and was in a state of shock. She had swallowed a large quantity of water. The National Ambulance was called, which took them all to the hospital for treatment.

Officials warned swimming in Al Rams Creek is dangerous due to deep pockets deep holes and the water that rises rapidly during tides.

Mother’s account

Meanwhile, the mother, Shaima Al Shehhi, said she had gone with her two children - Amna, 7, and Yousef, 8 - and her two nieces, Mansour, 8, and Fatima, 10, to walk in the shallow part of creek for picking oysters.

She added that the water rose rapidly as a result of the tide and she fell on her back. The water pulled her into the creek and the children started screaming and asking for help.

She said she tried to carry the children on a swimming inflatable that was with them and asked them to hang on to reach land, but they fell into the water. She could not move her legs anymore.

Minutes later, Abdullah, Nader and the Asian worker came to their rescue.

Awareness drive

Recently the Monitoring and Follow-up Branch of the Ports and Airports Police Department of Ras Al Khaimah Police launched an awareness campaign for visitors and beachgoers in the emirate and advised them to follow the safety instructions that are aimed at preventing incidents of drowning.

Police aim to raise the level of awareness among community members and beachgoers in light of the increase in the number of visitors to the emirate’s beaches with the onset of the summer season.

Majority of drowning cases recorded this year were because beachgoers did not adhere to the safety instructions issued by the police, officials have said.

“Signboards are placed on the beach, but some swimmers ignore them and endanger their lives by swimming in undesignated areas. Also, many swimmers ignore weather warnings and choose to swim on days of turbulent weather when there are high waves, making them more at risk of drowning,” police said.

SOURCE: GULF NEWS