UAE: Car 'fully submerged' under water pulled out in 3.5-hour rescue mission
An Indian family that drove out to Ghantoot for a camping trip was in for a shock when their vehicle was nearly fully engulfed in water due to the rising tide: they parked too close to the banking area.
When in need of vehicle recovery services, they tried contacting Ahmad Hiskol, a Dubai-based off-road rescuer located in Remrah, using Instagram.
“Initially, it was hard to take in,” Ahmad stated. “I thought, who would pull a prank this early in the day? But, then I got that it was serious.”
Umrah and Rahman rushed to grab their equipment: Cable extensions, winches, and accessories, alongside Ahmad and his wife who were already loaded into their RAM trucks. They set off around 8 am and picked up Abdul Ayham on the way.
The Nissan Patrol was already 40 meters offshore and was adrift by the time they pulled into Ghantoot at 8:45 am. “The car was engulfed,” Ahmad mentions. “I di not expect to see this. The tide shifted the vehicle in so quickly.”
“One of the most difficult rescues we had to do,” irked Ahmad, “was getting the car that was sitting at a depth of five metres underwater. It is not easy to extract a vehicle from that depth while submerged in water under strong pressure and weight. Everything must be meticulously done.”
The team did not stop working from 9 am to 12:30 pm. “For instance, the winches on our two RAMP trucks roared alive. At one point, a winch cable even snapped,” said Ahmad.
“Everything is much easier if cars are upright. We had to first turn the car as it was on its side underwater, and after rotating it, attach both winches to pull it in.”
Surprisingly and reassuringly, this aid during the rescue provided Rocky instead of sandy ground beneath the water. “If it was sand, then it might have damaged more,” says Ahmad.
The car was pampered without damage caused enduring the removal process. Rest ensured knowing the retrieval was SP successfully without unwanted odds hurdle interfered.
Ahmad, a Lebanese national, accompanies his wife Nora in search and rescue missions. As a couple, they assist individuals who get stuck offroad throughout the entire UAE region. But even for him as a seasoned rescuer, this case stood out. "It took effort, teamwork, and a lot of focus. But at the end, seeing the family safe and the car out was worth every second."
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