Dubai Police clarify story of man who stopped lifeguards saving his drowning daughter

The National staff

August 12, 2015 Updated: August 13, 2015 04:46 PM
 

 Dubai Police have revealed that a news report about a man preventing lifeguards from saving his daughter was a story from 1996.

The article detailed a Dubai police officer’s account of an Asian woman drowning because her father blocked lifeguards from rescuing her. Published on Sunday, it initially drew attention when an international newswire picked it up and began asking Dubai Police questions on Twitter.
Responding to a question, Dubai Police said: “This is an old incident that dates back to 1996.”

The news website later clarified that deputy director of Dubai Police’s search and rescue department, Lt Col Ahmed Burqibah, was “recounting some of the worst incidents he had encountered in his tenure”.

newsdesk@thenational.ae

Dad lets daughter die, rather than be touched by 'strange' rescuer

Asian father stopped rescue team from saving his drowning daughter

By Muna Ahmed

Published Sunday, August 09, 2015

A father of a 20-year-old girl let his daughter drown, stopping life guards from rescuing her.
He preferred that his daughter die rather than she be touched by a strange man, according to a top official.
Speaking to Emirates 24|7, Lt. Col Ahmed Burqibah, Deputy Director of Dubai Police’s Search and Rescue Department, recounting some of the worst incidents he had encountered in his tenure, said that this incident took place at a beach in Dubai.
“This is one of the incidents which I cannot forget.

Lt. Col Ahmed Burqibah, Deputy Director of Dubai Police’s Search and Rescue Department said that this incident took place at a beach in Dubai. (Supplied)
“It shocked me and many others who were involved in the case.
“The Asian father took his wife and kids to the beach for picnic and fun.
“The kids were swimming in the beach when suddenly, the 20-year-old girl started drowning and screaming for help.
“Two rescue men were at the beach, and they rushed to help the girl.
“However, there was one obstacle which prevented them from reaching the girl and helping her.
“This obstacle was the belief of this Asian man who considered that if these men touched his daughter, then this would dishonour her. It cost him the life of his daughter.”
Lt. Col. Burqibah added that the father of the girl did not want the rescue men to touch his daughter as they were strange men.
“The father was a tall and strong man. He started pulling and preventing the rescue men and got violent with them. He told them that he prefers his daughter being dead than being touched by a strange man.”
He pointed out that this delay and fight with the girl’s father cost the girl her life. She drowned.
“She died unfortunately, at a time when she had a chance to live, especially that the rescue men were so close to her to pull her out of the water.”
Lt. Col. Burqibah added that the girl’s father was later arrested by Dubai Police for stopping the rescue team from saving his daughter’s life and doing their job.
“He was prosecuted and sued by the concerned authorities.”
 The incident happened many years ago.

Dh3,000 fine if building swimming pool not supervised by lifeguard

By Sneha May Francis

Published Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Despite a law clearly stating the need for a lifeguard at every building swimming pool, many residential buildings are still unmanned.

This is an area where disaster is waiting to happen. 

On Tuesday, a nine-year-old drowned in Dubai after he slipped into his building pool during a birthday party. 

“There is a law that clearly states that the swimming pool in every residential building must be manned by a lifeguard,” informed Eng. Sultan Essa AlSuwaidi at the Dubai Municipality. 

“Even during the stages of getting a building blueprint approved, a swimming pool drawing will show an allotted marking for a lifeguard. Without this no building will get an approval,” he added.

“Even diving is not permitted in such pools.” 

And, in case there is a violation to this rule, “the building owners will be fined Dh3,000”. 

Despite the law in place, the ground reality is something else. 

Many residential buildings don’t have a lifeguard, and in some areas, the watchmen double as one. 

“In our building, there’s no one manning the pool. There are times when I’m the only one in the pool. In fact, there are no floats or other safety equipments around either,” informed a resident of a Qusais building.

“There is a board that states many rules, but there’s no lifeguard around.” 

Another resident complained about how children are left unsupervised in the pool. “I see them diving into the pool when they are not supposed to. It’s just very scary,” reported Sheetal, whose building in Bur Dubai is not supervised. 

“Our watchman comes once in a while and checks the pool. But he’s not there all the time,” added another Bur Dubai resident. 

The watchmen, who do work as both, are not qualified swimmers, and some don’t even know how to swim. “I’ve been asked to go there and check once in a while, so I do it. But I don’t know how to swim.” 

With summer setting in, and many adults and children frequenting pools, it’s about time building owners did something to ensure the safety of its residents.

Beachgoers beware of theft: Dubai Police

24 cases of drowning and 16 cases of theft were reported last year

By Mohammed Al Sadafy

Published Saturday, May 05, 2012

Dubai Police’s General Directorate of Criminal Investigation has urged the public to be cautious while on the beach this summer.
Dr Muhammad Nasir Abdul Razak Razzuqi, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Criminal Investigation, asked people to follow the instructions found on beaches and coastal areas. He urged people not to swim in dangerous places and avoid overstretching the rescue teams deployed along the emirate’s shores.
He urged parents to track the state of the sea through weather forecasts in the newspapers, TV, radio and Internet.
Razzuqi also urged beachgoers to keep a watch on their belongings and to avoid carrying valuables. Beachgoers must also lock the doors and windows of their parked cars to avoid theft, he added.
[Click here to read man who survived 20hrs at sea]
He also urged people to inform the rescue team in the event of theft or harassment by other beachgoers.
24 Dubai beachgoers drowned and 16 cases of theft on the beach were reporting during the summer of 2011, he added.

Boy drowned last year... two rescued from sea

Authorities warned swimmers against venturing into sea during unstable weather conditions as a 10-year-old Emirati boy drowned while two adults were rescued in three separate incidents in Sharjah and Ajman on Friday.

The victims went swimming ignoring the clear warning signs installed on the beach due to high tide and rough sea, Khaleej Times reported.
The boy went swimming at Al Heera beach in Sharjah with his friends in the dark, which authorities warned is particularly dangerous, as lack of light hampers search and rescue operations.
Apparently, as the currents got faster, at around 10 pm the boy suddenly began drifting away into the sea and the police was immediately notified.
However, the police could not save him because it was difficult to spot him in the dark.
Sharjah Civil Defence official, Khalid Dawood, warned parents against allowing children to swim without elders’ supervision.
In two other incidents, a 35-year-old Egyptian was rescued by a coast guard as he was fighting currents at Al Heera Beach, while a 45-year-old Indian was saved after he went swimming at the beach in the Sharjah-Ajman border area.
The Indian is reportedly stable, however, the Egyptian is fighting for life in the ICU at Al Kuwaiti Hospital in Sharjah.
Brigadier Saleh Saeed Al Matrooshi, Director of the Ajman Civil Defence, said that the Indian man was saved by the rescue unit deployed on the Ajman beach to ensure the safety of swimmers during summer. “The man was rescued and was immediately taken to Khalifa Hospital,” he added.
Brigadier Al Matrooshi said that the man was swimming despite an unstable weather warning. Most people don’t follow warnings to stay away from the sea, issued after bad weather is forecast, he added.
“Friday, in particular, witnessed very bad weather conditions resulting in high tides. This makes it very risky. Beach-goers must check with the Met office before planning to go swimming. They should look out for the colour of the flag placed all along the beach and should cross-check whether it is safe to swim on a particular day. This man survived as the rescue team spotted him on time.”
In Sharjah, the Egyptian was rescued by a coast guard and rescue unit of the Sharjah Police. According to the police, the man had gone to an unauthorised area in Al Heera beach where waves are high. The weather was bad and the man went to swim despite the warning signs installed at the beach.

More lifeguard patrols at Jumeirah Beach

High waves and windy conditions forecast for next two days

By Joseph George

Published Sunday, March 06, 2011

Number of visitors to the beach have dropped drastically (JOSEPH GEORGE)

Jumeirah Open Beach in Dubai is now opened for public with more strict lifeguard patrols. However, the number of visitors have dropped drastically. On Sunday morning  there were less than two dozen people.
Majdi Tag, a senior lifeguard with the Dubai Municipality told 'Emirates24|7' that a yellow flag has been hoisted and visitors are allowed to enter water in the morning as the conditions are relatively safe.
“It’s towards noon that the sea begins to get rough when we hoist the red flag. Then we do not allow people to even touch water,” he said.
The place did not witness any untoward or dangerous incidents last week, mainly due to very strict patrolling. “I was told by an official that 11 people were rescued by Dubai Police Rescue Team over the weekend. Seven of them were from the beach close to the Jumerirah Beach Residence and four from the beach close to Burj Al Arab. None of them are controlled by the Dubai Municipality,” he added.
Dubai Municipality employs 34 lifeguards who man the three beaches at Mamzar, Jumeirah Beach Park and at the Open Beach. “Six of them are stationed at the Open Beach alone. We have had no untoward incidents this year. One person drowned in February 2010 - unfortunately, he was swimming in a non-permitted zone," said Tag who has 17 years experience as lifeguard with Dubai Municipality.
“People believe good lifeguard is when they have a lot of rescues. My opinion is that a good lifeguard is someone who prevents people from getting into an accident in the first place,” he added. Remembering one of his rescues he said, “AN Indian family of seven people were getting drowned when they were trying to save one of their family members who was drowning. I had to rush into the water and with the help of four other lifeguards we managed to rescue all of them,” he added.
Forecast
Meanwhile, the National Center for Metrology and Seismology has re-issued a warning for people not to go to the beach for the next two days due to high waves and winds.

The center’s forecast states that the weather today (Sunday) will be windy and dusty, and there is possibility of rain in the southern and western parts of the country. The sea waves will be high as well. 

"On Monday, there is a possibility of rain, especially in the morning, and it will also become dusty. Sea waves will be high and the public is advised not to get into the sea for their safety," the center said.

As for Tuesday, the weather will be partially foggy and cloudy, and the temperature will rise gradually.