DUBAI// Search and rescue teams from Dubai Police are still looking for an Algerian free diver who went missing almost 40 kilometres off the emirate’s coast last week.
Adel Ait-Ghezala, 35, a PhD student in international relations at American University in Washington DC, was spearfishing with three friends in international waters on Wednesday afternoon when he failed to emerge from the water.
Rescue teams fear the 6kg diving vest Mr Ait-Ghezala was wearing may have hindered his ability to return to the surface.
“The search for the missing Arab diver in international waters is still under way, 22 nautical miles away from the Palms project in Jebel Ali,” said Maj Gen Khamis Al Mazeina, Dubai Police Chief.
“The missing diver practised this hobby without the use of oxygen tanks or any safety precaution. He was also wearing a 6kg vest to help him reach the bottom of the sea, which [could have] caused a barrier for the diver to float up to the surface,” said Maj Gen Al Mazeina.
Free divers hold their breath rather than use a breathing apparatus and divers regularly use weight belts to counteract buoyancy. Mr Ait-Ghezala, an experienced free diver, was equipped with a wetsuit, flippers, goggles, spear gun and a specialised watch.
The group had been out at the sea in a private boat from noon. Mr Ait-Ghezala went missing at about 3.40pm.
His wife, Rana Ghaleb, who was on the boat, raised the alarm when he did not resurface after three minutes. She said her husband was capable of holding his breath for six minutes.
Maj Gen Al Mazeina said: “The maritime rescue and helicopters rushed to the scene despite the unstable weather conditions and the increase of wind speeds and undersea currents and waves reaching up to five to eight feet.”
Although the visibility was only up to 4ft, Maj Gen Al Mazeina said teams combed the area and distributed divers into groups. He said his force was “still doing their duty to the fullest”.
Meanwhile, a Facebook page, Find Adel, has been set up urging people to appeal to authorities to expand the search to neighbouring Oman and Iran.
Family and friends of the diver in the UAE and the US are raising money to help the search while volunteer divers and people with boats have come forward to take part.
“The amount of support pouring in is unbelievable,” said Ms Ghaleb. “All our friends back home are trying hard. At this moment, we have a fundraising effort that has reached a significant amount. We are hoping to use that to fund his search.”
Almost US$34,000 (Dh124,880) has already been raised.
Regular visitors to Dubai, the couple had arrived on December 21 to visit friends and family. They were planning to leave for Oman this week to meet Mr Ait-Ghezala’s mother and return to the US on Tuesday.
pkannan@thenational.ae