Dammam, Feb 11(Arab News): Saudi border police ordered on Wednesday fishermen not to venture out in Arabian Gulf waters due to high winds, low visibility and choppy water.
“A ban on all boats has been issued since Wednesday morning issued to all ports in the Eastern Province because of strong winds, high waves and poor horizontal visibility,” said Col. Muhammad Al-Ghamdi, spokesman of the Border Guard in the Eastern Province, which is responsible for patrolling coastlines as well as land borders.
Al-Ghamdi added that officials have been calling on fishermen who have been ignoring the order. While fishermen are used to handling rough seas, officials say the weather conditions were unusually rough and could catch some fishers off their guard. He added that anyone that gets in trouble can call the 994 emergency number for assistance.