Two women have drowned and three others were rescued while swimming at night in a restricted area that is known to have strong water currents.

The two women were found floating 2.5 km from the shoreline at the Al-Khafji governorate. They were found following 11 hours of search operations. The search was conducted by a helicopter that had strong thermal headlamps.

“A family of 15 were traveling inside a single car. They had come from Al-Nariya to Nailah, west of Tanajib, which is part of Al-Khafji on the Gulf coast. Swimming is not allowed in this area due to strong water currents. There are warning signs preventing swimming. In spite of this, a 12-year-old girl went swimming just before sundown, and three others between the ages of 16 and 17 followed her,” said Col. Khaled Al-Arqoubi, a spokesman for the border guards in the Eastern Province.

“One of the women, 49, drowned trying to save the girls. A border guard employee at the Tanajib center who happened to be passing by the area called on sightseers nearby for help. Four girls were successfully pulled out of the sea in a state of fatigue and had first aid performed on them,” Al-Arqoubi said.

The 12-year-old was in critical condition and was moved to the nearest hospital, where she later died.