An Egyptian was killed Thursday when Jazan border guards fired warning shots to stop two boats with 66 Egyptian illegals on board from reaching the Kingdom’s borders.

Maj. Gen. Abdullah bin Mahfouth, press spokesman for the Jazan border guards, said that marine border guards arrested the boat commander of one of the boats after they stopped the boat from escaping toward international waters.

The other boat nearly collided with the border guards boat.

The guards eventually had to fire warning shots to deter them from moving. He said the first boat had 37 people on board, while the second had 29 passengers. Border guards found large amounts of fish on board the boats.

Bin Mahfouth said that the detainees are in good health and have been offered medical treatment.

One of the boat commanders had been previously arrested while trying to illegally enter Saudi waters.

The operation was followed up by Brig. Gen. Abdulaziz Al-Sabahi, Jazan’s border guard commander.

Bin Mahfouth valued the efforts of border guards in maintaining safety and security and called on everyone to abide by regulations and extend a helping hand to foreigners wishing to enter the Kingdom legally.