The current year has witnessed a decrease in the number of accidents involving drowning with the Port Police Station registering nine drowning accidents in the past seven months, with six cases of fatalities and three injuries, according to Brigadier Abdul Qader Al Bannai, Director of the Port Police Station.

''A total of 35 drowning accidents were recorded in the previous year, due to a few people ignoring warning signs, swimming in undesignated areas and not taking safety precautions, which resulted in 29 fatalities and six injuries, he said in a statement on the occasion of the conclusion of the Port Police Station's awareness campaign for beachgoers in Dubai, which was held under the slogan, "Preventing and Curtailing Drowning Accidents," to raise the awareness of beachgoers and educate them about the most important precautions to be taken while swimming, as well as the steps required to avoid drowning.

Brigadier Bannai stated that the campaign, which involved 62 volunteers from general departments, police stations and government authorities in Dubai, ran for a week at all local beaches, and saw the distribution of pamphlets containing safety instructions for beachgoers, such as checking the weather forecast and sea conditions, following the signs placed along the beach, not playing sports when red flags are raised, watching children at the beach and not allowing them to swim alone and without a lifejacket, as well as wearing life jackets while swimming, only swimming in designated areas before sunset, avoiding direct sunlight during the summer by using umbrellas, not leaving valuables on the beach, and distributing gifts to beachgoers.

Source: Wam