The father of a diver reported missing off the coast of Fujairah on Saturday says he fears the worst, with the search now entering its fifth day.
Hopes are fading after Ahmed Ashour, 30, a UAE resident from Egypt, disappeared while on a spearfishing trip near White Palm, 42 kilometres off the coast.
Marine rescue teams have carried out extensive search operations.
Mr Ashour's father, Nasser Ashour, told The National that the search to find his son is continuing.
“Usually they go in pairs to the sea, where a first diver goes diving for fish and the second waits on the surface," Mr Ashour said.
"His friend said he went down and left Ahmed on the surface, but when he went up, Ahmed wasn’t there.
“It was his last dive on this trip because he felt tired and vomited before went missing. That was what his companion told me. They searched for him in the area but he disappeared at 12.30pm.”
The boat returned and alerted the authorities about 1.30pm.
Mr Ashour, who is a manager of a construction company and resident in Dubai for 18 years, said Dubai Police are assisting the coastguards with the search.
He said his son, who works as a petroleum engineer in Abu Dhabi, regularly went on spearfishing trips and always had the proper equipment.
“I think he might have suffered a blackout while he was in the water," Mr Ashour said.
"He went with his friend first for two hours and then came back and was exhausted and vomited. He slept for a while and then wanted to try his luck again in the sea."
He said the diving teams are continuing their search today.
“We are begging you to help us. Divers, boat owners or in any means possible, help us bring Ahmed Nasser home," wrote Yasmine Mahmoud in a social media post on Sunday that was widely shared among Egyptian expatriates and UAE diver groups.
"Help us say goodbye to our son, brother and cousin.
“Ahmed, is a very responsible young man who went spearfishing on Saturday, October 29. He was reported missing at 2.30pm the same day.”
Paris Can Wait
Dir: Eleanor Coppola
Starring: Alec Baldwin, Diane Lane, Arnaud Viard
Two stars
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
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'Lost in Space'
Creators: Matt Sazama, Burk Sharpless, Irwin Allen
Stars: Molly Parker, Toby Stephens, Maxwell Jenkins
Rating: 4/5
The specs: Fenyr SuperSport
Price, base: Dh5.1 million
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 800hp @ 7,100pm
Torque: 980Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 13.5L / 100km
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
SRI LANKA SQUAD
Upul Tharanga (captain), Dinesh Chandimal, Niroshan Dickwella
Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis, Milinda Siriwardana
Chamara Kapugedara, Thisara Perera, Seekuge Prasanna
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Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
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Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
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EXPATS
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