“While I was heading to the fishing site, I saw a person wearing a life jacket in the distance being carried by waves, so I rushed to him, only to find that he had nearly drowned and was exhausted. I rescued him with help from the fishing workers who were with me, and gave him first aid,” Issa Muhammad Al Falasi told Gulf News.
The rescued people included six Indians and two Pakistanis. A total of 10 people were on the boat that was rented by them to go fishing on January 11.
Recalling the rescue operation, Al Falasi said he had set sail from Al Hamriyah Port in Dubai at 10am in the morning on a routine fishing trip where he was accompanied by two workers.
They were soon out in the sea where he saw a person wearing a life jacket, being carried away by the waves.
According to Al Falasi, he increased the speed of his boat to reach the man and pulled him on board and administered first aid to the man.
The boat captain was astonished to hear that there were nine other people out in the sea. Hearing this, Al Falasi began a search for the remaining nine by himself as he did not have phone coverage to request help from the government authorities.
In his search and rescue operation that lasted for around half an hour, Al Falasi rescued a total of eight survivors. However, two bodies were found afloat which he pulled onto his boat.
“I began the search mission, which lasted for around half an hour, in the surrounding area. I found eight people, who were frightened and exhausted. I provided them with first aid and motivated them with some words that calmed them down, and I resumed my mission to search for the remaining two people,” he said.
After all the 10 men were accounted for, Al Falasi immediately set off to the nearest Coast Guard point, who in turn communicated with concerned authorities, including Dubai Police and the ambulance.
Al Falasi is a father for four daughters and two sons. He was worked in the sea since he was seven.
