RIYADH, 25 March 2006 — Tabuk Governor Prince Fahd ibn Sultan presented on Thursday a cash award to Ibrahim Al-Masoudi, a policeman, in recognition of his heroic act in saving a Saudi couple caught in the midst of a flash flood in the Abu Noshaifa valley. His fellow soldier Awwal Abdul Azim Al-Qarni lost his life in the operation.
Lauding the dedication and courage of the security men, Prince Fahd said in a statement obtained by Arab News that “such fearless acts are typical of the Saudi security forces”. The prince, who granted a large sum of money to Al-Qarni’s family, wanted to know more about the condition of the family.
Expressing his gratitude to the prince, Al-Masoudi said his colleagues in various wings of the security forces never hesitated to save people in danger risking their own lives.
Recalling that fateful Friday, Al-Masoudi said unexpected torrential rains lashed the area on Feb. 17 and flooded the low-lying valleys including Abu Nashifah. Consequently the whole unit was alerted to be on the lookout for stranded people in the valleys.
While his colleague Al-Qarni and himself were driving along Abu Noshaifa they spotted a car caught in the flooding waters and the couple inside frantically shouting for help.
“Knowing that by the time the civil defense people showed up it would be too late we cautiously drove to the stranded car and led the couple to safety and then towed the car to high ground. Before we could get out of the rapidly rising water our Jeep broke down and water level reached half the height of the vehicle,” Al-Masoudi said.
He said his colleague did not know how to swim and they had no choice but wait for help. “As Al-Qarni didn’t know swimming, we decided to wait inside the vehicle until somebody came to our rescue. But the current was so powerful that our vehicle turned upside down. I remained afloat clinging to a tree trunk that I got hold of. By the time a rescue team arrived looking for us, Al-Qarni drowned,” he explained.
“I could not do anything to help him. But what really mattered was that the couple were taken to safety. We did our duty,” said the soldier.
Meanwhile, the Tabuk governor expressed satisfaction over the progress of work on the city’s first private university.
Prince Fahd ibn Sultan Private University, which is expected to open next year, will consist of the main campus building in addition to the administration building, an auditorium, library, indoor and outdoor sports stadiums and multipurpose halls.
