More than 180 people were rescued from potential drowning incidents in Bahrain last year, thanks to the efforts of the kingdom’s pioneering water safety organisation.
These cases involved a range of situations, including swimmers venturing beyond their depth or suffering cramps to individuals falling from kayaks while unable to swim or not wearing life jackets.
Established in 2016, Royal Life Saving Bahrain (RLSB) works to promote lifesaving services across the country, encouraging authorities and developers to implement safety measures along the country’s coastline. As a result of these efforts, the organisation now provides lifeguard services at six beaches – Sama Bay, Bilaj Al Jazayer, Solymar Beach, Address Beach Resort Bahrain, Marassi Beach and Vida Beach Resort Marassi Al Bahrain – with plans to expand further.
“Last year, we recorded 364,862 visitors across the six beaches,” RLSB general manager Sam Rahman told the GDN.
“Within these numbers, 20,259 prevention actions were taken, 312 first aid incidents were reported and 187 rescues were performed.”
Preventive actions include early interventions designed to stop accidents before they occur, such as ensuring parents supervise children, intervening when jet skis approach swimmers too closely and discouraging other dangerous behaviour.
Despite these efforts, drowning continues to be a serious concern in Bahrain, largely due to limited public awareness and underreporting. “On average, drowning results in between 16 and 30 deaths per year,” Mr Rahman said, noting that many of these incidents occur in private swimming pools that are rented out during the summer months.
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