Good pearls collection despite tough weather conditions

KUWAIT: Nearly 160 young men collected at least 200 pearls during the first three days of the ongoing 24th Pearl Diving Expedition which officially concludes on Thursday at the Kuwait Sea Sports Club (KSSC). This was revealed by Ali Al-Qabandi, Head of the Sea Heritage Committee and general coordinator of the trip.

Nine pearl diving ships gifted by HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and the late Amir HH Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, reached  the diving spots in Al-Khairan on Sunday.

A celebratory event was held the same night during which divers enacted cultural activities from ancestors’ heritage. “The patronage given annually by HH the Amir to the trip demonstrates the great attention that HH the Amir accords for preserving the heritage of the forefathers, and instilling the spirit of loyalty within young men,” said KSSC Board Chairman Fahad Al-Fahad in a speech.

The trip is supervised by Captain Khalifa Al-Rashid, as well as Captain Abdurrahman Al-Manaie from the Kingdom of Bahrain which sent a team of divers to participate in this year’s event.

Al-Rashid said that the number of pearls collected during the first three days is “very good” given tough weather conditions the divers faced, further predicting a higher outcome compared to the past five years. Al-Rashid further urged authorities to stop overfishing “used to provide pearl oyster supply sold later at the black market,” as well as pollution created by “sewage dumped into Kuwait’s beaches.”

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