DUBAI // The father of two Emiratis who were swept out to sea in rough weather in Oman in July is waiting for a forensics report to discover whether a body found at the weekend is one of his sons.
Mohammed Al Dhaheri, father of Abdullah Mohammed, 21, and Mansour Mohammed, 19, who went missing on July 23, said a relative had gone to Salalah to try to identify the body.
“I wasn’t contacted by the Omani authorities right away. They still don’t know who the body belongs to, but the boys’ uncle has gone to Oman to help out with the identification,” said Mr Al Dhaheri.
He said he expected to hear the forensic results from Oman this week.
A spokesman for the Oman News Network said: “A part of a decomposed body was found on Friday late in the afternoon off Al Dumar beach in Dhofar province. The identity of the dead person has not been confirmed yet.”
The Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulance said a search and rescue team in Dhofar removed the body from the water and it was taken to a police forensics laboratory.
The brothers were visiting the town of Mirbat for the Eid Al Fitr holidays and were at a beach in Dhofar, east of Salalah, when they were swept out to sea.
Abdullah may have drowned while trying to save his younger brother, according to friends who were with them.
The Emirati community rallied around the family after the incident and funeral prayers were held.
Ali Al Zaabi, a neighbour in the Asharaej neighbourhood in Al Ain, said the ordeal had been difficult for the family and the community as a whole.
“They found someone’s decomposed body and this is sad news for anyone. I pray that Al Dhaheri family can find solace and the strength and resilience to move on,” said Mr Al Zaabi.
nalremeithi@thenational.ae
