Sharjah: A three-year-old Emirati boy is fighting for his life in hospital after being injured during an amusement park ride in Sharjah last week.
Khalifa Obaid Al Zayodi was struck in the head by a spinning part after he entered the Crazy Fire ride area during the Sharjah Water Festival in Al Majaz Park. He made his way in undetected by ride operators or his family, his father said.
His condition is described as critical by doctors at Al Qasimi Hospital. Al Zayodi has suffered trauma and bleeding in the brain.
Surgeons managed to stop the bleeding and inserted a tube to drain the remaining blood. The child has been put on a respirator, doctors said.
The victim’s father blamed ride supervisors for negligence and has called on authorities to probe safety arrangements at the park.
Police detained a number of company employees and are investigating the incident. The ride apparently lacked a security fence until Thursday, a day before the festival ended.
In a statement, festival organiser Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), the organiser of the Sharjah Water Festival-expressed its deep regret over the incident of the boy who was injured while playing in the play area in Al Majaz Park as part of the festival.
The authority said it stopped the game immediately after the incident and the boy was taken to Al Qasimi Hospital by Sharjah Police rescue team. It is the first incident since the launch of the festival 13 years ago, the authority said it is investigating the incident.
It added that the accident stemmed from a failure to adhere to safety procedures by the rides company. The company failed to adhere to safety conditions stipulated in an agreement with SCTDA, the statement said.
It stressed that the SCTDA has never faced any accidents since its establishment 13 years ago.
