Guard who tried to catch falling boy to be honoured for bravery

DUBAI // Police will honour for bravery a security guard who tried to save a five-year-old who fell to his death from an eight-floor apartment on Tuesday.

Tin Aungwin, from Myanmar, was standing outside the building and saw the boy hanging out the window and heard the mother plead for him not to jump. When he saw the boy fall, he rushed to try to catch him.

Lt Col Ahmed Al Merri, of Dubai Police CID, said: "All respect goes to this man who tried to save the boy. He is a noble man and we wished he would have been able to save him but this does not change that what he did is a bravery act.

"Unfortunately he did not estimate correctly where the boy would fall," said Lt Col Al Merri.

The boy's head hit the security guard at high velocity before hitting the ground. Mr Aungwin suffered intermediate injuries and is expected to be discharged from hospital today.

"We will call him in after he recovers to express our gratitude for him," Lt Col Al Merri said.

wissa@thenational.ae