US State Department sends condolences to families of two Saudi students drowned in Massachusetts
Theeb Al-Yami and Jaser Al-Rakah. (Image: Social media)
ARAB NEWS
July 05, 2018
LONDON: The US Department of State issued a statement on Thursday offering its condolences to the families and friends of two Saudi students who drowned in Massachusetts last week.
Cousins, Theeb Al-Yami, 27 and Jaser Al-Rakah, 25, drowned as they attempted to rescue two children who had got into difficulties in the Chicopee River in New England state.
On Thursday the State Department issued a statement which read: “The United States expresses its heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of TheebAl-Yami and Jaser Al-Rakah after their tragic deaths in Massachusetts. The young men drowned while courageously attempting to save children in distress.
“Their heroism represents the very best of the international students who enrich communities across the United States.
“Theeb and Jaser were among the 52,000 Saudi students studying in the United States who bring greater international understanding and diverse perspectives to US campuses and communities, and to Saudi Arabia when they return home.”
The two young Saudi men saw two children in distress in the river after their mother was unable to save them. Another group of people nearby also tried to rescue the children, but failed because of the river’s heavy current, according to a local police report.
Al-Yami was enrolled at the University of Hartford in a civil engineering program and Al-Rakah was studying at Western New England University as an engineering student. They both drowned after being swept away by the tide.
Police started a search of the river on Friday. They retrieved the bodies of the two Saudi students on Friday and Monday.
http://www.arabnews.com/node/1334016/saudi-arabia
Incredible. I keep hearing about such stories involving Saudi Arabian students and Arab students in general abroad which baffles me greatly given the fact that every single Arab country has a coastline. There is not a single landlocked Arab country. Most coastlines in the Arab world are warm enough to swim in all year round. The longest and some of the longest rivers in the world are found in the Arab world too. Plenty of lakes and 10.000's upon 10.000's of wadis in Arabia alone as well.
KSA for instance has a 3000 km + coastline and 1500 + islands.
Sad that talented people (the future) perish in such a relatively foolish way. Of course the biggest killers are the roads and health-related (diet) diseases but swimming courses should be obligatory like in most European countries. Anything else is irresponsible.
Anyway a courageous act and all honor to the two fallen cousins. RIP.
EDIT: As I wrote, Spain flopped tremendously. As did Portugal. So much for this being the "strongest group".
Meanwhile both Russia and Uruguay are among the 8 best teams. KSA can keep their heads held up high.
