New curbs to fight jet-ski danger

Jet skis in Abu Dhabi will be regulated by the coastguard within a month, following a spate of accidents.

A jet skier jumps through the waves along the Corniche in Abu Dhabi.

ABU DHABI // Jet skis will be regulated by the coastguard within a month, officials said yesterday. The announcement came as Sheikh Hamdan bin Mubarak, the minister of Public Works and chairman of the National Transport Authority, opened the new Unified Marine Registration Centre at Mina Port. The centre will immediately handle all registration of boats - a process that falls between the Critical National Infrastructure Authority, the Ministry of Environment and Water, the National Transport Authority and the Department of Transport - with jet skis to follow.

During the past two years a spate of jet ski accidents in Abu Dhabi has prompted officials to regulate the sport. Marine police were called to 54 jet ski-related incidents between June 2007 and 2008. Although most were for minor problems such as jet skiers running out of fuel and collisions not involving injuries, there were four serious accidents. In June 2008 a jet skier's throat was slashed by a rope attached to a tow boat that snapped and hit his neck.

Marine police said at the time that they would fine anybody on a jet ski who went too near a beach or a boat. Those entering restricted areas such as private islands or beaches or driving recklessly would also be fined. Jet ski rental companies welcomed the impending regulations, saying they already applied age restrictions and limits on where customers could operate the machines. Mohamed Zukria Waaheed, who runs Penguin Marine Jet Ski Rental, said: "The regulations will be good. It will make it safer for us and for those renting them."

Jet ski-only zones are also planned. Radi Salem, of Titanic Rental, said jet ski zones would benefit his company. "It would help customers locate us easily and we would be able to set up a one-stop shop at the beach with a garage, a showroom and our offices." He said they already give customers safety instructions and supply them with life jackets. [e-mail]