Hazim Al-Mutairi
Okaz/Saudi Gazette
JEDDAH - Ten dolphins who lost their way in shallow Red Sea waters were rescued and successfully dispatched to deep waters, according to the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture.
Undersecretary of the ministry, Ahmed Al-Ayyadah, said the dolphins were besieged in shallow Red Sea waters near King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) in Rabigh.
He said as soon as authorities heard about the stranded dolphins, rescue teams from the ministry, the Border Guard, KAEC , the Saudi Wildlife Authority and volunteers were dispatched to the area where the dolphins were tangled.
Director of the ministry’s branch of fish resources in Jeddah, Raddah Al-Zahrani said the dolphins which were swimming near KAEC when they lost their way and entered into an area of shallow waters.
“The dolphins’ lives were endangered due to a lack of food,” he said.
He said the rescue teams tried to guide the dolphins out to the sea but when their efforts failed, they had to carry them on special trucks and then release them into deep waters.
Zahrani said the rescue operation took four days to complete but it was finally declared a success when all 10 dolphins were rescued.
