MANAMA: Maritime authorities in Bahrain are advising Bahraini sailors and fishermen not to venture into foreign territorial waters as Qatari coast guards could mistake them for drug smugglers.
The warning comes after Qatari coast guards found four Bahraini sailors in the sea near their capsized vessel. The body of another Bahraini, Mohammed Abdulwahab Hayan, was found in the Um Dholof area of Qatar’s coast.
“The area where this accident occurred is usually used by drug smugglers. Qatari authorities also arrested some sailors in another boat which they were monitoring at the time and seized 160 kg of narcotics,” the Interior Ministry said.
He said the Qatari authorities discovered the four fishermen by chance. The four Bahrainis said waves dragged them into Qatari waters while out fishing. The body of the dead sailor has been handed to his family.
The Bahrain Fishermen Society is calling for all regional water boundaries to be unified in line with the GCC common market.
