The Fath Al Khair 2 dhow is expected to reach Muscat, Oman, today on its way to Doha from Mumbai, India.
The vessel had to cope with inclement weather and sustained some damage in the territorial waters of Pakistan during the return journey. Two sailors were also injured.
Equipment used to manage ropes and control the movement of the sail suffered slight damage in the incident, according to a statement.
“Hopefully, we will reach Muscat on Monday. We have faced some difficulties due to climatic conditions,” said Hassan al-Kaabi, the ship’s captain, stressing that the crew was well trained to deal with such scenarios.
Al-Kaabi noted that all the sailors were fine and the injuries suffered by two of them were treated on time. “The atmosphere is relatively calm now, compared to an earlier spell in which we had to cope with wind intensity and speed. The crew expressed its readiness to take part in the journey, which will be remembered in the years to come,” he added.
The voyage to India was launched from Doha’s Katara beach on October 5 and the dhow arrived at Mumbai on October 24. It left Mumbai a week later.
The Fath Al Khair 2 voyage has gained considerable attention both locally and internationally, including in Indian media outlets, the statement notes. Katara - the Cultural Village Foundation has thanked all media outlets, specifically Qatar TV (the exclusive broadcaster of Fath Al Khair), in this regard.
Katara has also extended its appreciation and gratitude to Qatar Gas Transport Company (Nakilat), the gold sponsor of the voyage, for its support.