Two-year-old dies in Fujairah swimming pool

Dibba Al Fujairah: A two-year-old Emirati boy drowned last Friday evening in a swimming pool at a private farm in Dibba Al-Fujairah, turning a joyful family gathering into a heartbreaking tragedy.

The incident occurred during the family’s regular weekend get-together, a tradition they observed every Friday to spend time together outdoors.

The child had been playing near the pool when tragedy struck. Despite the family’s strict safety precautions, a brief moment of inattention proved fatal.

His uncle told Gulf News that the family always ensures the pool area is secure. “The place is always locked, and the pool gate is designed so that children can’t reach it,” he said.

“But on that day, one of the adults entered the area to fetch something and left the door slightly open. The lights were off at that moment, and the child must have slipped in without anyone noticing,” he added.

He said the accident happened within seconds. “The pool isn’t deep, and the door was locked with a latch that children cannot open — but those few seconds were enough. The nanny didn’t see him, and fate took its course.”

Family members immediately rushed the boy to Dibba Al-Fujairah Hospital, where doctors made every effort to revive him, but he sadly passed away.

“The family received the news with patience and faith in God’s will,” he said. “We’ve always been careful about children’s safety around pools — we never leave doors open and make sure all precautions are in place. But even with all that, one brief moment of distraction can lead to tragedy.”

Remembering his nephew, he added: “We lost a sweet, lively soul. Everyone loved him — he was always laughing, running around, and bringing joy to our gatherings. His presence added warmth to every family occasion. His absence has left a deep void in our hearts.”

“We believe in God’s fate,” he said. “We pray that He makes our little one a bird in paradise and an intercessor for his parents. The loss is painful, but faith eases the grief. 

Police and civil defence across UAE have recently launched an awareness campaign and urged parents to monitor their children while they play. Parents were also advised to install fences around the swimming pool area to restrict the entry of children. Police have said that parental neglect has played a large role in the cases of children’s drowning.

Police urged families to increase the level of supervision in the swimming pool area, and advised parents to never leave their children unattended, not even briefly, or let them swim alone without an adult present.

To prevent children from drowning, police urged parents and landlords to: