A limit on 'No-Limits' freediving

Dubai: Freedivers, keen to continue the sport in the UAE with hopes of holding international competitions in the Arabian Gulf, are planning to stop deep dives after the first professional Emirati diver was feared dead earlier this month during a 70-metre deep-dive attempt in Greece.

Breath-hold dives or apnea, known as freediving, involves reaching depths or travelling distances under water on just a lungful of air, without artificial breathing equipment.

"The 100-strong apnea community wants stricter measures applied to deep No-Limits freedives, which tarnishes the relaxing aspect of freediving and taints it as an extreme sport," said Sara-Lise Haith, 42, a freediving British instructor in the UAE.

During a No-Limits attempt, divers are dragged to a pre-defined target depth by means of a sled at a speed of around 2.5 metres per second. They come back up to the surface using a self-inflating balloon. Alternatively, in a Variable Weight dive, divers can choose to return to the surface using their own strength, with fins or by pulling themselves up a rope.

Pushing divers

"No-Limits is banned in competitions by the world federation for breath-hold diving, known as Aida [Association Internationale pour le Developpement de l'Apnee], but still open to record attempts, pushing divers to go deeper and deeper," said Haith.

"We teach people to freedive safely. But No-Limits is not freediving, it's a stunt," she said. "You should only dive to a depth you can swim up from."

Adel Abu Haliqa, 40, an Emirati from Abu Dhabi, did not resurface from a 70-metre No-Limits attempt in Greece on June 7, and is feared dead after search and rescue operations failed to recover his body.

Ratification

According to Haith, the continued ratification and recognition of No-Limits is severely hindering the development of more important sporting disciplines.

"Adel was a hero. He was much respected. I believe his death was unnecessary and could have been avoided," she said.

Marco Rettig, 36, a Dubai-based freediver from Germany, said he was very sceptical of sled-diving. "It puts you in utter dependency on a technology that, in the past, has more than once failed due to technical or human error or simply bad luck. Second, it allows you to overcome limits that your body and mind would otherwise not allow you to break," he said.

The idea to build a sled here was shelved based on the underwater conditions in the UAE such as currents and bad visibility.

Things can go wrong

"I can mention half a dozen things that can go wrong due the conditions here," Rettig added.

Secondly only a few people in the UAE would be capable of accompanying students on a sled on their way down.

"Going down on your own or being led by an instructor is a totally different thing — both mentally and with regard to safety," he said.

Investigation is still on — Aida president

Kimmo Lahtinen, president of Aida (Association Internationale pour le Developpement de l'Apnee), answers some questions on the recent freediving accident which involved a UAE national.

Adel Abu Haliqa, 40, from Abu Dhabi is feared dead during No-Limits training in Greece. Abu Haliqa, founder of Freediving UAE, worked hard to include the UAE as a member of Aida and hoped to conduct freediving competitions here in the future. The UAE was recently approved as an observer member.

Do you have a clear idea of what happened to Adel Abu Haliqa underwater?

Greece's coast guard has done their investigation on the accident already and Aida will do its own when the search is over. After this we may be able to estimate this accident better.

Was Adel prone to disconnecting from his safety lanyard? Is this an usual No-Limits behaviour?

Nowadays in deep No-Limits dives the lanyard is used. It will be attached above the sledge, connecting the diver to the dive rope where the sledge moves, and it should be kept there during the dive. This time it was not connected to the dive rope when the sledge came back to the surface. And we do not know the reason for that at the moment.

Who was his diving buddy?

Sled diving is often done alone.

What is the general procedure during such accidents?

Deep water searches are done normally with the help of the side-scan sonars and Remotely Operated Vehicles.

What training does Aida offer for No-Limits diving?

AidaA has sled diving safety guidelines and some divers use sledges regularly for deep training. Aida's sled diving safety guidelines can be found on the Aida website.

Should No-Limits be stopped?

There are no competitions in sled-assisted freediving in Aida. Some top freedivers have been setting records which have been validated by Aida.

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Scholarship scheme set up for Pakistani students

Dubai: A Dubai-based university established by the late Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto has announced an offer of 80 scholarships to Pakistani students who cannot afford to attend university.

"This is a birthday gift from our university for the Pakistani community in the UAE," said Dr Fiaz M. Ishaq, head of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Institute for Science and Technology (SZABIST) — based in Dubai International Academic City.

He was speaking at a function organised by the university to mark the 58th birthday of Benazir Bhutto, who was the founding chancellor of the university and established its off-shore campus in Dubai in 2003.

Dr Ishaq said that some 20 scholarships would be given to Pakistani students in Pakistani schools in the UAE who pass their higher secondary school exams. Every year 20 more scholarships will be added and a total of 80 students will get scholarships within four years.

Fund committee

"[The] university will waive 25 per cent of the tuition fee while some 50 per cent [of the] fee will be paid from the scholarship fund to be established by the university whereas 25 per cent fee will be paid by the student," he explained.

The scholarship fund committee will comprise members of the university, Pakistani schools, Pakistani missions and prominent community members.

"Our aim is to help provide higher education to poor students who cannot afford to continue their studies and forced to quit education," Dr Ishaq said.

He said the university would also provide vocational and skilled training to poor students after high school.

"We will help them get jobs and will also help them get their degrees studying as part time students," he added.

The university's community initiative was well received by Pakistan Ambassador Jameel Ahmad Khan and the community members who attended the function.

"We are ready to support the university for the noble cause," said Khan.

Earlier, rich tribute was paid to Benazir Bhutto, who was born on June 21, 1953 and assassinated on December 27, 2007 during an election campaign in Pakistan.

Supporters of Bhutto from all over the UAE gathered to offer prayers in her memory. Many were in tears as they recounted instances of their interaction with Bhutto during her eight years self-exile in Dubai.

Brave leader

"She was a brave leader and was symbol of hope and struggle," said Ambassador Khan who also recited one of Bhutto's favourite poems. Mein Baghi Houn, Mein Baghi Houn (I am revolutionary).

On a different note, supporters of Bhutto such as Chaudhry Zafar Iqbal demanded that the Pakistan government track down the murderers of Bhutto.

"It is very disappoint[ing] for us that our government has not yet arrested those involved in our leader's murder," he said.

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Death games on high seas

Dubai: Close on the heels of the tragic death of 14-year-old Emirati Abdullah Al Amiri in a jet ski accident near Palm Jumeirah last month and the permanent disfiguring of 10-year-old Daniel Clamens, another near-fatal accident has shocked beach-goers in Dubai.

A 27-year-old South African rugby player, J.B., fell off a double storey boat on June 17 onto a platform and knocked his head on the motor of the boat, the impact of which threw him into the water. The accident broke his neck and caused brain injury. While the victim's wife is unavailable for comment, sources claim that the man has been declared medically brain-dead and is currently in a state of coma.

These accidents have prompted warnings from safety experts urging water sport lovers to be cautious while hitting the beaches here. Talking to XPRESS, Candy Fanucci, Founder of Pirate Surf Rescue Team in Dubai, highlights the dangers of unsupervised water sports on Dubai's open beaches. "Jet skis are accidents waiting to happen. If you see someone on a jet ski while you're in the sea, stay as far away from them as possible. They have the reflection of the water and the sun in their eyes, which makes them largely unable to spot a swimmer in their proximity," she says.

The South African lifeguard explains how trying to help a person with a neck injury could lead to further damage. "By being ill-informed, one can actually harm the victim more than benefit them. A person who has fallen off a boat, such as the victim in question, should be left alone until qualified medical help arrives. Moving the patient may cause terminal paralysis," she warns.

Earlier this month, 10-year-old Daniel Clamens had his face ripped apart in an accident on Al Mamzar Beach involving a jet ski. Clamens, who was on a banana boat being towed by a neighbour's boat, fell off the tube and was instantly hit by a man on a jet ski who was chasing the boat in order to launch himself off the waves. The jet ski hit Clamens straight in the face, damaging four of his vital nerves and cutting off half of his face. The 10-year-old is undergoing a series of surgeries.

Safety gear a must

Last month, 14-year-old Emirati Abdullah Al Amiri died in a jet ski accident near Le Méridien Mina Seyahi Hotel in Dubai. Police reports say Al Amiri and three friends were on a raft while a fourth friend was on the jet ski.

When a wave toppled the raft over, Al Amiri, who wasn't wearing a life jacket, was pulled under the water, and resurfaced in another spot, where the jet ski struck the 14-year-old in the head, causing death. If the teenager had worn a life jacket, he would have bobbed on the surface of the water, making himself more visible to his friends.

"The use of safety gear for water sports is an issue that needs to be addressed asap [as soon as possible]," says Fanucci, adding, "Ideally, beaches should be segregated into zones for different water sports. Each area should be demarcated, creating a circuit or track for each sport."

"Boats should be away from water skis, which should be away from the surfers, swimmers and those on jet skis. As per government regulations all users of jet skis should have a life vest, helmet, fire extinguisher, emergency whistle and goggles on hand. What people don't understand is that a jet ski is no different from a motorcycle, often reaching similar speeds. When you fall on water, the impact is just as harsh as falling onto a tarmac road," Fanucci says.

Fanucci gives the example of a 10-year-old girl who was hit by a surf board on Sunset Beach in Jumeirah two weeks ago.

"The girl was in the shallow water and a beginner surfer got carried on the wave towards the shoreline. The surf board hit the child straight on the head. Fortunately, the injury was minor and she didn't have a concussion, but it was just another reminder of the importance of safety procedures on beaches. It may seem like a fun day out on the beach, but participating in unauthorised water sports is just as dangerous as participating in unauthorised motor sports. It's not all fun and games when things go wrong."

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Afghan President Hamid Karzai received in Kabul Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Foreign Min

Shaikh Abdullah conveyed to the Afghan President the greetings of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. He also conveyed their wishes for the progress and prosperity of the people of Afghanistan.

Shaikh Abdullah reiterated the need for concerted international efforts to support the development programmes in Afghanistan for the welfare of the Afghan people.

Shaikh Abdullah had arrived in Kabul on Wednesday, along with his British counterpart William Hague to discuss with the Afghan government, the progress made in reinforcing the efforts of the international coalition in Afghanistan.

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EPIC Expo: Pass the parcel

Dubai: With summer vacations round the corner, a top official of Dubai Police has warned the public not to accept packages from strangers when travelling in and out of the country.

"It is dangerous to accept packages from strangers," said Major Mohammad Salim Al Muhairi, Head of Awareness, Crime Section of Dubai Police, during EPIC Dubai, a sustainable living expo that was launched at the Dubai Mall on Wednesday.

Pointing to a list of guidelines prepared by the General Department of Airport Security and the General Department of Communication for airline passengers, he said residents should not give in to requests to carry packages as they "might be used as a crossing bridge for smuggling illegal or dangerous materials".

Major Al Muhairi, who drew attention to a number of other issues concerning public safety, said the EPIC or ‘Eco-Wise Progressive Intelligent Consumer' Expo gave government departments another platform to create awareness.

Among the other public departments present were the Dubai Municipality, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority and the Roads and Transport Authority.

The Dubai Municipality, which sought to create awareness about cosmetics that have been banned in the market, displayed some of these items.

They included: Gold Ginseng Soup, Elmore Crème Bleach, DAX Wave & Groom Hair Cream, DR Brightening Cream, Latif Eyeliner, Zeniac Dermo Purifying Lotion, a Chinese cream which had no Arabic or English markings and Vera Vamp Body Cream (banned for its obscene packaging).

The pest control section of the municipality educated the public on how they could protect themselves from mosquitoes and other pests.

EPIC Expo also introduced a host of eco-friendly products for consumers.

Stealing the show was a set of six solar cars built by the Dubai-based Lootah Technical Centre.

"These cars are in the R&D stage but they are a predecessor to improved versions that will eventually go into mass production," said Denis Lefrancois, General Manager, Sustainable Media Group, on behalf of the Lootahs, as two of the cars made a grand entry at the Grand Atrium.

Inside the mall, a kiosk with degradable clothing stood out.

"We've used 100 plastic bottles to make a pair of shorts and three to make a T-shirt," said Kris Barber, director of Degrade, the UK company behind the Dirtball brand.

"The plastic bottles are washed, crushed and chopped into chips. They are then melted and converted into fibre which is knitted on its own as 100 per cent polyester or blended with cotton."

Each T-shirt sold for Dh130.

Also present were electronics brands like Philips which, among other things promoted a 42-inch Green TV made of recycled aluminium. It comes with a solar rechargeable remote and is priced at Dh5,200.

Nokia also promoted its eco-friendly mobile phones like the E6-00, E7-00 and N8-00.

"We save up to 80 per cent of energy using our eco-friendly chargers," said Tala Wazzan, a sales representative.

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Schools with good leadership produce excellent students

Dubai: The success or failure of a school depends, to a large extent, on the leadership of the school, a school leadership expert said Wednesday.

"Teachers make the biggest difference in the improvement of any school and the leadership of the school is the second biggest factor for improvement," Geoff Southworth, a UK-based school leadership expert told a workshop organised for public school teachers by the Regional Centre for Education Planning (RCEP).

"In the United Kingdom, 20 years of school inspection have shown that [for] every 100 schools with good leadership, about 93 will have a good standard of education. On the contrary, for every 100 schools with poor leadership, only one will have good standard of education," he said.

The workshop, which was held at the University City of Sharjah yesterday, was organised by RCEP in association with Unesco and the UAE Ministry of Education.

Hotly-debated topic

While school leadership is a hotly-debated topic among the teaching fraternity worldwide, there is growing consensus on the nature and practice of effective school leadership, Southworth said.

According to a document published in 2008 by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, effective school leadership policies include the clear definition of the role of leaders, the need to encourage and support more leaders, and measures to development of capabilities. It also includes measures highlighting school leadership as an attractive profession and the recruitment of effective leaders.

"If teachers and [the] leadership of a school are improved, then there will be huge improvement, which can further be bettered by engaging parents in the process," Southworth said.

Extensive research

The UK-based expert bases his comments on extensive research and teaching experience, apart from various studies conducted worldwide.

Southworth's findings are synchronous with the findings of school inspections in Dubai by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA).

Earlier this month, while announcing the inspection results of public schools, Jameela Al Muhairi, head of the Dubai School Inspection Bureau at the KHDA, said that the leadership of the school and a desire to improve were the only reasons why many schools overcame hurdles and showed improvement.

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