Arab man dies after jumping off jet ski to save daughter
Published on: Thursday, August 10, 2017
GEORGE TOWN: All water sports activities at the popular Tanjung Bunga will operate as usual despite a jet ski mishap which claimed the life of a Saudi Arabian man on Tuesday.Penang Island City Council (MBPP) management services director Mohamed Akbar Mustapha told the New Straits Times that a board of enquiry would be held to investigate the incident.He said the operator of the water sport activity, from who the tourist had rented the jet ski, and other concerned parties, would be summoned. "The board of enquiry meeting will be called soon.
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"Until then, all water sports activities in Tanjung Bunga can operate as usual...there will not be any suspension," he told New Straits Times.In the 6pm incident yesterday, Nasser Hudaybar Alouti, 40, drowned after he jumped off his jet ski to rescue his 15-year-old daughter who fell into sea, while trying to retrieve an item. It is learnt that he had removed his life jacket while doing so. The operator of the jet ski, who spotted something amiss when the jet ski remained stationary at sea for quite some time, rushed to Nasser's aid.By then, Nasser had disappeared while his daughter managed to safely climb onboard the jet ski. Beach boy Naim Abdul Razak, 31, said his superior then took Nasser's daughter to shore while he and several others rushed to the scene to help in the search mission.
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"It took my superior some time to reach the shore with the girl as the father and daughter had ridden the jet ski about 500m from the shore."By then, the girl was repeatedly shouting 'Look for my father'," he said when met at Tanjung Bunga this afternoon.
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Naim said minutes before the ill-fated incident, Nasser had taken his wife on a ride, in the same jet ski. "He then took his daughter for a ride. They were going quite fast and further away from the beach."The family had come a day before (Sunday) and got on the jet ski as well," he said.Naim said Nasser's remains were found about 7.50pm by rescuers and pronounced dead by paramedics when brought to shore.Naim said all safety measures had been briefed to Nasser, in both English and the Arabic language, prior to him riding the jet ski. Nasser, his wife and their two children had checked into a beachfront hotel on Friday and was supposed to leave tomorrow.The family was too distraught to speak to pressmen at the Penang Hospital mortuary last night.According to Sultan Naif Al Dawish, a representative from the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Malaysia, the family had since left for home. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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