A father stopped lifeguards from rescuing his drowning daughter because he did not want ‘strange men’ to touch her.
The man grappled with lifeguards as they tried to save the 20-year-old woman, telling them if they touched his daughter it would ‘dishonour her’.
Speaking to Emirates 24/7, Lt. Col Ahmed Burqibah, deputy director of Dubai Police’s Search and Rescue Department said it was one of the most harrowing incidents of his career.
The young woman died in the incident which happened on a beach in Dubai.
Mr Burqibah said: ‘This is one of the incidents which I cannot forget.
‘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.’
Mr Burqibah said by the time the men had fought off the woman’s father, she had drowned.
He said: ‘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.
‘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.’
Mr Burqibah added that the girl’s father was later arrested and prosecuted.
Source: Metro UK