Summary of Incident – Deep Sea Fishing Trip Gone Wrong
It appears to be that a group of 6 Lebanese persons of different age groups, five of which belong to the same family and one friend, decided to go on a deep-sea fishing trip off the shore of Dubai. The exact fishing charter conducting the fishing tour was not identified. While Dubai fishing trips are mostly known for creating everlasting memories, this story did not end up with the normal kind of everlasting memories.
An hour into the fishing trip, one of the passengers noticed water leaking into the boat and informs the fishing boat captain. Unfortunately, it appears that the fishing boat captain was not well-trained to handle emergencies. Furthermore, it appears that the fishing boat lacked the minimum safety requirements established by the competent regulatory authorities in Dubai.
Unfortunately, the boat started sinking and eventually was deep underwater. Luckily, all passengers were good swimmers! The passengers called for rescue through Dubai Police using a mobile phone (luckily not damaged by the water!).
Immediately, the UAE’s authorities were on the move. A total of six vehicles were deployed by two of the UAE’s authorities (namely Dubai Police with two helicopters and two boats, as well as Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services with two boats) to rescue the group swimming in the dark waters under the dull night sky.
Thankfully, with the advanced technologies used by the UAE Government’s rescue teams, the missing group was immediately located and rescued in full.
Commentary
Having reviewed the details of the incident as per the information made available to the public, it appears to be that the fishing boat lacked basic safety features. Furthermore, it appears that the fishing boat crew has not been well-trained to handle an emergency. This could potentially indicate that the rented fishing boat was operated by unauthorized personnel through illegal activities. This is because licensed commercial fishing charters are subject to heavy regulatory schemes and checks to ensure the safety of all passengers on board.
With regards to the rescue mission, the skilled rescue force of the UAE’s authorities is noteworthy, with the ability to locate a group of missing passengers at night in the middle of the sea in a relatively short amount of time!
Finally, it is critical to note that incidents of sunken fishing boats are extremely rare in the UAE, as most fishing charters take sufficient caution to prevent such sea disasters from happening, or to mitigate their effects thereof.
Important Safety Guidelines as Lessons Learned from the Incident
As explained earlier in this blog, Fishing in Dubai can be done in a fun and safe manner if the necessary caution is exercised. When booking a fishing charter, ensure that the fishing charter is safe and licensed to operate in Dubai.
Licensed fishing charters in Dubai are subject to heavy health & safety regulations and are regularly inspected to ensure the same is maintained. The below elements can help you determine whether a Dubai deep sea fishing charter is safe and licensed or not:
- Ask for the company’s Trade License.
- Ask for the company’s Maritime Activities Permit.
- Ask for the boat’s Commercial License and ensure it is linked to the fishing charter company.
- Check the boat number (a sticker on both sides of the hull of the boat): If the number starts with “DT”, then it’s a Dubai Tourism boat and is likely to be licensed for fishing tours. If the number starts with “DP”, however, it means the boat is registered as a Dubai Personal boat and is not subject to the safe safety standards required for fishing tour boats.
- Ensure the availability of life jackets, first aid kit, fire extinguishers, flares, as well as smoke and light signals.
- Ensure the availability of a marine radio fixed to the boat.
- Watch the safety videos published by the UAE’s maritime regulatory authorities on boat safety: DMCA Boat Sailing Safety Instructions
