Drowning victim's father urges ban on pool parties

Drowning victim's father urges ban on pool parties

Police say boy's death was an accident and there are no suspects

source:

• By Dina Aboul Hosn, Staff Reporter
• Published: 00:00 November 29, 2011

• Image Credit: Supplied
• A grief-stricken father who lost his son in a swimming pool incident has called for a ban on pool parties for young children. Picture for illustrative purposes only

Dubai: A grief-stricken father who lost his son in a swimming pool incident has called for a ban on pool parties for young children.

Ahmad Ali, father of eight-year-old Ali Mazahir who drowned on Thursday, said he was still not completely informed about the circumstances surrounding his son's death in a swimming pool in a Dubai Marina building during a classmate's birthday party.

"My son was invited to a pool party, and I was reluctant to let him go, but the invitation clearly said that a lifeguard would be present," Ahmad, a Canadian citizen of Pakistani origin, told Gulf News. On Thursday afternoon, Ahmad met Ali at Gems Wellington School, where the child was a grade three student, to pick him up from his school.

"I took the bag and said goodbye just before 1pm. That was the last time I saw my son alive," he said.

Receives call

Around 2.30pm, the family received a call from the parents hosting the party, saying that their son had an incident and was on his way to Al Wasl Hospital.

"I called the mother, who was accompanying my son. She said the doctors refused to tell her anything and were asking for the child's parents, and I realised that my son was no longer with us," Ahmad said.

Doctors tried to revive him for 45 minutes, but he was lifeless and there was nothing they could do, Ahmad was told.

"There were 24 kids in that party, and I'm wondering if it was possible for any lifeguard or parent to supervise and control them," Ahmad said.

Ahmad was trying to fly his son back to Pakistan for the funeral yesterday, but formalities were not completed on time. "Hopefully, we will be able to fly on Tuesday night. Ali was a lively child when he came here, and all I'm taking back is a coffin and documents," Ahmad said.

Ali is survived by his parents and a sister, six-year-old Anna Zahra. Dubai Police said the death was an accident and there were no suspects.

"A family was hosting a party to which other families were invited, and by the time they noticed that a child was missing, he had already drowned," said Brigadier Khalil Ebrahim Al Mansouri, Director of Dubai Police's Criminal Investigation Department, adding that no one was held responsible for the death.

Most important

Dr Tapan Das, Sports in Charge and Head Swimming Coach at the Indian High School, said the most important thing for children's safety in pools is to encourage them to get in the water only when a lifeguard is present.

"Children should be informed which is the shallow side of the pool and allowed to acquire the swimming habit, which is just like walking," he said.