FUJAIRAH // An eight-year-old Emirati boy drowned after falling into the water at Wadi Siji dam on Friday.
The emirate’s police said the boy, identified as H M M, was playing near the dam with his two cousins at around 5pm when he slipped and fell into the water. He was pulled from the water by a passing tourist who heard the cousins’ calls for help.
“The family of the boy lives near the dam and they rushed to the site after they had been informed about the incident and took the boy directly to Al Dhaid Hospital,” said Brigadier Gen Mohammed Al Tunaiji, Deputy Commander-in-Chief at Fujairah Police.
“After many attempts from the emergency team to rescue the boy, he was pronounced dead. The water levels were high that day due to the recent heavy rain and the area was covered with mud that caused the boy to slip,” he added.
Police urged parents to keep a close eye on their children while playing near dams, especially after rainy days and to try and avoid such areas during winter.
The boy was buried on Saturday in Al Hinya.
rhaza@thenational.ae
