New details have emerged in the case of a man who reportedly fell from a boat and went missing at sea during an incident involving a trawler and the Coastguard.
The Public Prosecution has shed doubt on whether there was a collision between the vessels, as earlier statements suggested.
Investigations are ongoing regarding the incident, which occurred on October 20, involving crew allegedly fishing using illegal bottom trawl nets and operating a boat that did not meet the required maritime safety standards.
Two of the seafarers have been arrested and the search continues for the body of their missing accomplice.
Public Prosecution investigators conducted an inspection of the Coastguard patrol boat and the suspects’ vessel in the presence of the detained defendants.
Examinations confirmed that both boats were completely free of any damage or signs indicating a collision, except for what it described as ‘minor superficial scratches’ on a small area of the patrol vessel.
This contradicted claims by the suspects that the Coastguard approached them at high speed and collided with their boat, which caused one of them to fall into the sea.
The accused also reportedly had alleged ‘inconsistencies’ in their statements during questioning, which they had no explanation for.
Coastguard patrols were carrying out security duties in the Fasht Al Adham area at the time of the incident.
Coast Guard, in cooperation with the Police Aviation, continues its search for the missing person at sea. pic.twitter.com/8L3hxHSXz5
— Ministry of Interior (@moi_bahrain) October 28, 2025
The two men, whose ages and nationalities have not been revealed, allegedly showed ‘no concern or sense of responsibility towards the man who fell overboard, and did not attempt to stop or assist him’, according to the Public Prosecution.
Instead, they continued fleeing until they were apprehended, and it was only much later when the Coastguard was informed that one of them had fallen overboard.
The Coastguard immediately initiated search and rescue procedures.
The Public Prosecution emphasised that investigations were ongoing and that search and rescue efforts to locate the missing person continue.
The GDN reported earlier that a child, who was later released, was also reportedly aboard the boat at the time of the incident.
The two suspects confessed to failing to comply with law enforcement orders during inspection, using prohibited trawling nets, operating without navigation lights, concealing the boat’s licence plate and disabling the automatic identification system.
Coastguard officials thanked citizens for their concerns and cautioned people against heeding calls on social media to join the search operations.
They stated that the job should be left to specialised teams, adding that police helicopter crews were helping in the operations.
nader@gdnmedia.bh