KUWAIT: A Kuwait Fire Force boat participates in a search operation for a person who went missing while swimming off the Messila beach. - Kuwait Fire Force photos

KUWAIT: Two persons died after being retrieved from the sea off Al-Bedaa shores near the Messila coast, the Ministry of Interior announced on Friday. The two victims were among nine residents who were rescued but they were in critical condition, it said, adding that a 10th person was still missing. The operations room of the coast guard received a notification that 10 people faced difficulty while swimming due to strong currents.

Firemen carry a person rescued off the Messila beach.

Kuwait Fire Force and coast guard patrols rushed to the scene and managed to retrieve nine persons but two of them died later on at the hospital. The seven others are in stable condition while search and rescue operations continue to account for the missing person, according to a statement from the ministry. The statement urged swimmers to keep vigilant, abide by the safety precautions and contact the operations room of the coast guard via the phone number 1880888 or the emergency hotline 112 if need be.

Flames engulf a tower under demolition at Safat Square in Kuwait City.

In other news, KFF said that firefighters managed to safely rescue seven workers from a blazing tower under demolition at Safat Square in Kuwait City Thursday night. The fire was subdued and no injuries were reported, the KFF public relations and media dept. said in a statement this evening. Upon receiving notification of the incident, fire engines from the City, Al-Hilali and Al-Salmiya fire stations, and backup corps rushed to the scene.

They found the first three stories of the 15-story building engulfed in flames; they also found seven workers trapped in upper stories and brought them out. Investigators opened a probe to determine the cause of the incident, according to the statement. - KUNA

Firemen battle a blaze in a tower under demolition at Safat Square in Kuwait City.