He saved my only daughter: Father thanks Egyptian hero after Al Mamzar beach rescue

Sharjah: A father fought back tears as he thanked a young Egyptian man whose bravery saved his four-year-old daughter and her eight-year-old friend from drowning at Al Mamzar Beach on Saturday evening.

The rescuer, Qasem Mohamed Al Sayed Mahmoud, 25, had just finished work and stopped by the beach to unwind when he suddenly heard desperate screams coming from the water around 8.30pm.

“I heard someone shouting for help, saying he couldn’t swim,” Mahmoud told Gulf News. “Without a second thought, I threw my phone and car keys aside and ran straight into the sea.”

The beach was crowded, and panic spread as two young girls were seen struggling in the water. The girls — an eight-year-old Sudanese child and a four-year-old Mauritanian girl named Kulthum — had wandered into the sea while their families were still setting up their belongings on the shore.

“I swam as fast as I could,” Mahmoud said. “I found the older girl first and managed to bring her back to shore. Then I went back into the deep water to look for the second one. It was very dark, and I couldn’t see her at first. When I finally did, she wasn’t moving.”

Mahmoud, who is 180 cm tall, said the water was unexpectedly deep at the spot where the girls had been pulled. “Even at my height, there was no seaboard under my feet,” he said.

Mahmoud performed CPR on both girls until paramedics arrived. While the older child regained consciousness quickly, little Kulthum remained unresponsive. Emergency crews from Sharjah Civil Defence and National Ambulance soon arrived and rushed both girls to Al Qassimi Hospital.

Mohammed Bu Baker, Kulthum’s father, told Gulf News his five-month pregnant wife had taken their daughter to the beach that evening with their Sudanese neighbours while he was at work.

“The girls ran into the water while their mothers were bringing chairs from the car,” he said. “Four children went in, but only two got into trouble. Yaqeen, the older girl, tried to help my daughter but nearly drowned herself.”

His voice trembled as he spoke of the terrifying hours that followed. “Kulthum was in critical condition for two days. I thought I had lost my daughter forever. But she woke up—and today, she is safe at home. No words can describe my gratitude to Qasem. He is a true hero.”

He added, “We are blessed to live in a country where people care for each other. I will be forever grateful to Qasem and to the authorities who acted so quickly.”

He also expressed his gratitude to Sharjah Police, Civil Defence, Al Qassimi Hospital, and National Ambulance for their swift response and coordinated efforts that helped save his daughter’s life.

“I have only one daughter, and my wife is pregnant,” the father said, his voice breaking with emotion. “I plan to honour Qasem for his noble act — he saved my daughter and her friend’s lives.”

He added that both his wife and the other woman had also rushed into the water in a desperate attempt to save the girls. “They too were about to drown before bystanders pulled them to safety,” he said.

Both girls were released from the hospital on Tuesday, having fully recovered from the incident

In recognition of his courage, Sharjah Civil Defence Authority honoured Qasem on Tuesday with a certificate of appreciation.

Brigadier Yousif Obaid Harmoul Al Shamsi, Director General of the authority, praised his selfless act, saying:“Saving lives represents the highest form of national duty. Qasem’s bravery reflects the community spirit and sense of responsibility that we strive to promote in Sharjah.”

Civil Defence officials also visited the two young girls in hospital to check on their recovery. Both children were discharged on Tuesday after making a full recovery.

Authorities urged the public to stay alert when visiting beaches and to ensure children are always supervised near the water.

“We continue our efforts to raise awareness among families,” Brig Al Shamsi said. “Children should never be left unattended, even for a moment.”