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The General Directorate of Border Guard issued an advisory urging the public to steer clear of swimming in any areas not officially designated for the purpose. According to the directorate, beach visitors must maintain constant supervision over children and adopt every available precaution to protect personal well-being during coastal outings. The statement stressed the importance of full awareness of local conditions before entering the water at any location.
In its announcement the directorate detailed how it had mobilized every available human and logistical asset to reinforce safety protocols along the kingdom’s extensive coastline. Maritime patrols have been intensified and search-and-rescue teams placed on heightened alert, the directorate reported. All vessels and associated safety equipment stand fully prepared for immediate deployment under the current measures.
The directorate further instructed that every seafarer obtain the complete set of required permits prior to departure from any port or landing. Compliance with all maritime rules and posted safety guidance remains mandatory for individuals and groups alike, it added. Emergency response lines should be used without delay if difficulties arise during any beach or sea activity.
Calls to 911 will connect users directly to assistance in the regions of Makkah, Madinah and the Eastern Province, according to the directorate’s instructions. In all other areas of the kingdom the designated emergency number is 994, the statement clarified. These contact protocols form part of a standardized system maintained by national security agencies to ensure rapid response times.
Separate data published by the Saudi Red Crescent Authority show that preventable water-related incidents have accounted for a notable share of emergency callouts during previous summer seasons. The authority’s records indicate that many such cases involved locations lacking official lifeguard presence or marked safety infrastructure. The Border Guard advisory aligns with broader public-safety campaigns coordinated across multiple ministries in recent years.
Coastal zones in the kingdom span more than 2,000 kilometres on both the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf shores, according to figures from the General Authority for Statistics. Popular destinations near Jeddah, Dammam and Yanbu routinely draw large crowds during holiday periods, the authority’s demographic and tourism reports confirm. The latest Border Guard measures seek to address risks at the growing number of informal access points that have appeared near developed beachfronts.
