Emirati boy, 7, dies in Tunisia road accident during family holiday

Ras Al Khaimah: A family holiday that was meant to bring loved ones together after years of separation ended in heartbreak when a seven-year-old Emirati boy was killed in a road accident while visiting Tunisia with his mother and siblings.

Jassim Mohammed Abdullah Ali Zaid Al Shehi, from Ghalilah in Ras Al Khaimah, died on Saturday after being struck by a vehicle in Tunisia's Manouba Governorate. The child succumbed to his injuries about an hour after arriving at hospital, according to his father.

The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the family, members of the Al Shehi tribe and the wider Ras Al Khaimah community, where relatives and residents have rallied around the grieving family.

Back in the UAE, Jassim's father, Mohammed Al Shehi, was finishing his workday when he received a phone call that would change his life forever.

Speaking to Gulf News, Al Shehi said it was around 10pm UAE time, equivalent to 7pm in Tunisia, and he had just left work and was heading home when his phone rang.

The caller was his eldest son, Abdullah, 9.

"At first, I thought it was something simple between the children," Al Shehi said. "I never imagined it would be news like this."

Moments later, he learned that Jassim had been involved in a serious road accident and urgently needed blood.

According to information provided by his wife and witnesses at the scene, Jassim had walked to a nearby grocery store when he was struck by a vehicle driven by a woman. The boy's  father said that the woman  was taken into custody for 21 days in accordance with the applicable legal procedures.

Despite efforts to save him, the young boy died approximately an hour after reaching hospital.

"It all happened so suddenly," the grieving father said.

The family had travelled to Tunisia for what was meant to be a long-awaited summer reunion. For the children's mother, it was her first trip home in nearly five years , a chance to reconnect with loved ones and spend time with relatives she had not seen for years.

She was accompanied by her four children - Abdullah, 9, Jassim, 7, Zayed, 4, and nine-month-old Jouri — as the family looked forward to a holiday filled with visits, family gatherings and cherished moments together.

Instead, the trip took a heartbreaking turn, transforming what should have been a joyful summer getaway into an unimaginable loss.

What began as a journey to create happy memories and strengthen family ties ended with relatives gathering in grief around a child whose life was cut tragically short.

News of the accident spread quickly through Ghalilah, located about 35 kilometres north of Ras Al Khaimah city, prompting an outpouring of condolences from friends, neighbours and relatives.

Many described the tragedy as particularly painful because it occurred during a family holiday that was intended to reunite loved ones separated by distance and time.

For Al Shehi, the loss is made even harder by the fact that he was thousands of kilometres away from his son during his final moments.

In the aftermath of the accident, the mother's family in Tunisia asked Al Shehi to issue a legal power of attorney to enable them to follow up on official procedures and legal matters related to the case.

The family then faced the painful task of arranging for Jassim's body to be returned to the UAE.

Al Shehi said the child's body was expected to arrive at Dubai International Airport late Monday night.

Funeral prayers and burial are scheduled to take place on Tuesday morning at Ghalilah Cemetery, where family members, friends and residents are expected to gather to bid farewell to the young boy.