Drowned Emirati father and son pulled from Abu Dhabi sea

Bodies spotted by helicopters in Al Shalila area

Police recover the bodies of Abdullah Al Makhmari and his son Saif from the sea off Al Shalila after nearly four hours of searching. Courtesy Abu Dhabi Police.

Police have retrieved the bodies of an Emirati father and son believed to have drowned in Al Shalila sea on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi.

The bodies were spotted by an aerial team from the National Centre for Search and Rescue and the coastguard was able to recover their remains, police said on Sunday.

Police did not reveal how or when the father, 38, and his son, seven, drowned.

Al Shalila – a small town 55 kilometres off Abu Dhabi city near Al Shahama and Al Bahia – is on the coast and is home to beach houses, a children’s park and a number of beaches that overlook private islands.

Police warned against leaving children to swim unattended and urged the public to abide by safety regulations to avoid such incidents.