New Clue Surfaces in Fisherman’s Disappearance During Sea Pursuit

TDT | Manama

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The Public Prosecution in Muharraq has announced that investigations are ongoing into the case of a man who fell into the sea and went missing during a Coast Guard pursuit. The chase began after officers spotted a group of individuals engaging in illegal fishing using bottom trawling nets — known locally as “kraf” — aboard a vessel that also failed to meet the required maritime safety standards.

According to the Deputy Chief Prosecutor, the suspects ignored repeated orders from the Coast Guard to stop for inspection and instead attempted to flee. During the chase, one of the men fell overboard. Despite witnessing the incident, the remaining suspects allegedly continued their escape without stopping to assist the missing man or reporting the fall, demonstrating what prosecutors described as a “complete disregard for human responsibility.” The group was later apprehended, at which point they informed Coast Guard officers of the man’s disappearance. Search operations were immediately launched to locate him.

The prosecution stated that both the Coast Guard vessel and the suspects’ fishing boat were examined in the presence of the accused. The inspection revealed no signs of collision or significant damage to either craft — only minor scratches on a small area of the Coast Guard vessel. This finding contradicts the suspects’ claims that their boat was struck at high speed and overrun by the Coast Guard vessel, allegedly causing the man’s fall into the sea.

The suspects were unable to explain these inconsistencies when questioned again during the site inspection. Authorities confirmed that the investigation remains active, while search teams continue efforts to locate the missing individual.