Hunt intensified as youths lost at sea untraceable

DAMMAM: A Border Guard team in the Eastern Province (EP) has not yet been able to locate four Saudis who went missing during an excursion into the sea, Captain Omar Al-Aklabi, spokesman for the EP Border Guard, said on Tuesday.
Different theories are doing the rounds like the youths may have been detained after crossing into another country’s territory or strong waves may have resulted into the sinking of their boat.
Moataz Al-Mahose, Zaki Al-Shewaikhat, Hussein Al-Rashid and Hassan Al-Saeed who went into the sea in a boat last Wednesday and failed to return within 24 hours, the time they had rented the boat, triggering the search operation.
“The Border Guard team is trying its best to find the missing people, in coordination with all patrols, and has intensified the search operation by using an aerial search. We have already surveyed the shores of the Eastern Province,” he said.
Al-Aklabi said that there is no evidence to suggest their drowning, and a message has been sent across the Kingdom and in the neighboring countries to report any useful information about the missing people immediately.
The spokesman confirmed that rescue teams immediately headed to the site after receiving a communication about the incident. Security and search flights were used on Saturday and Sunday, and search operations will continue, he added.
An eyewitness said: “The four citizens went last Wednesday toward Al-Naoh fishery, but there were strong waves in the sea at that time. Communication with one of the missing youths continued until 9.30 p.m. last Wednesday before the contact was completely lost as their mobiles went off.”
The relatives of the youths in the city of Saihat hailed the efforts by Border Guard and appealed to all sailors in the Kingdom and Gulf ports to search for them and communicate with the authorities concerned if they find any relevant information.
Qatif fishermen said the boat may have been seized by one of the countries bordering the Gulf Coast after it crossed into their territory.
The young Saudis sailed from Al-Mazroueyah Center in Dammam on Wednesday evening, heading out on an excursion with their boat, after obtaining permission to rent the boat for 24 hours, yet they did not return on time.