Missing elderly man found dead in Sitra

The body of a Bahraini elderly man, who was reported missing in Sitra on Tuesday, was found face-down on the eastern shores of the island yesterday.

Jaffar Al Shaikh, 78, was declared dead on the spot by paramedics.

The Interior Ministry stated that “initial reports indicate no criminal suspicions,” adding that necessary steps were taken by the concerned authorities.

While speaking to DT News, the deceased’s youngest son Mohammed said his father was missing after he went out for his usual morning walk around the neighbourhood in Sufala village, around 10am on Tuesday, but he never returned.

He revealed that his father was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, but that he would always make it back home, despite losing his way many times.

“He was late this time. My siblings and I went searching for him around the neighbourhood, but we couldn’t find him anywhere,” said Mohammed. 

“We then filed a complaint at Sitra police station and sent ‘Missing’ posts to people through social media networks, including WhatsApp, Instagram and Twitter,” he explained.

Mohammed said they went out looking for him again at 5am the next day. A few hours later, they found his body, half drowned in the shallow waters near Sitra Secondary Girls’ School, to the east of the village.

“We informed the police and they immediately reached the spot along with paramedics and a coroner, who declared that he died approximately at 6.30am of a heart attack,” he added.

Jaffar Al Shaikh was laid to rest late in the afternoon yesterday in Al Muqallad cemetery, located in the neighbouring Al Kharjiya village.