Father of diver missing for five days off Fujairah says he fears the worst

Rescue teams have carried out extensive search missions for Ahmed Ashour

Diver Ahmed Ashour disappeared off the coast of the UAE on Saturday. Photo: Ahmed Nasser / Facebook

The father of a diver reported missing off the coast of Fujairah on Saturday says he fears the worst, with the search now entering its fifth day.

Hopes are fading after Ahmed Ashour, 30, a UAE resident from Egypt, disappeared while on a spearfishing trip near White Palm, 42 kilometres off the coast.

Marine rescue teams have carried out extensive search operations.

Mr Ashour's father, Nasser Ashour, told The National that the search to find his son is continuing.

“Usually they go in pairs to the sea, where a first diver goes diving for fish and the second waits on the surface," Mr Ashour said.

"His friend said he went down and left Ahmed on the surface, but when he went up, Ahmed wasn’t there.

“It was his last dive on this trip because he felt tired and vomited before went missing. That was what his companion told me. They searched for him in the area but he disappeared at 12.30pm.”

The boat returned and alerted the authorities about 1.30pm.

Mr Ashour, who is a manager of a construction company and resident in Dubai for 18 years, said Dubai Police are assisting the coastguards with the search.

He said his son, who works as a petroleum engineer in Abu Dhabi, regularly went on spearfishing trips and always had the proper equipment.

“I think he might have suffered a blackout while he was in the water," Mr Ashour said.

"He went with his friend first for two hours and then came back and was exhausted and vomited. He slept for a while and then wanted to try his luck again in the sea."

He said the diving teams are continuing their search today.

“We are begging you to help us. Divers, boat owners or in any means possible, help us bring Ahmed Nasser home," wrote Yasmine Mahmoud in a social media post on Sunday that was widely shared among Egyptian expatriates and UAE diver groups.

"Help us say goodbye to our son, brother and cousin.

“Ahmed, is a very responsible young man who went spearfishing on Saturday, October 29. He was reported missing at 2.30pm the same day.”