The Abu Dhabi Police Air Wing has recently rescued three fishermen; one of them, the captain of the boat, is an Emirati national. Their fishing boat broke down in the middle of the sea (about 15 miles) off the coast of Al Tawila, in extremely harsh weather conditions.
Despite the bad weather, and weather experts warning about low visibility and high waves, the air rescue crew decided to carry out this humanitarian mission, which took less than one hour after receiving the call, and 20 minutes after the arrival to the scene.
“The Air Wing Department received an SOS call to the Police Operations Room stating that three persons (an Emirati, an Arab, and an Asian) had gotten stranded in their broken boat in the middle of the sea, in very bad and cold weather, and threatened by high waves. Immediately, the rescue aircraft took off from Al Bateen Air Base and headed to the scene,” said Staff Brigadier Pilot Ali Mohammad Al Mazrouie, Director of the Air Wing Department in Abu Dhabi Police.
The geographical coordinates of the boat were defined, and after struggling with low visibility, the aircraft crew undertook the rescue operation that required significant effort from the rescuers to stabilize the aircraft to land the rescuer as close to the boat as possible, which was tossing to and fro from the sea waves.
Al Mazrouie assured the commitment of the Air Wing Department and its branches across the country, as well as all air rescuers who work around the clock, everywhere. He called on sea-goers to inform the police about the time they set sail to sea and the time they return, as well as the destination. Moreover, all safety and security procedures and equipment must be ensured to be in working condition, especially life vests, the GPS devices, and a medium of communication in order to report any emergency.
The Captain Pilot Mohammad Rashid Al Naqbi, a member of the rescue crew, explained the rescue plan, pointing out that at the beginning it was difficult to reach the boat due to bad weather, the high speed of the boat (30 knots), and the low visibility. It was necessary to make a quick plan to reach the boat as soon as possible before sunset.
“The boat, which was driven off the coast, about 15 miles from Al Tawila, was located in less than 20 minutes. The skilled rescue members landed onto the boat despite the high speed of the wind by means of a winch. He fixed the fatigued fishermen who looked quite exhausted, one after the other, through a double raising belt, and up to the aircraft, ensuring their safe boarding. Then, the air medic gave them the first aid they needed after checking their overall medical condition using the available medical devices. They were then transferred to the nearest hospital in an ambulance,” said Al Naqbi.
“We were sailing with the purpose of fishing; when the waves and winds started to worsen, we decided to sail back to land. Unfortunately, the engine broke down, and the boat drifted by the wind and the waves. In the middle of the sea, we were helpless,” said the Emirati captain.
The captain and the two fishermen expressed their thanks and gratitude to the Air Wing personnel in Abu Dhabi Police for their efforts, for saving their lives, and for the services they provide to the society including the advanced operations of search, rescue, and patient transfer.