Report: Man in Dubai lets daughter drown to preserve her 'honor'

While picnicking with his family at a Dubai beach, a man stops lifeguard teams from rescuing his daughter, saying he'd rather let her drown than let male lifeguards touch her.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Updated: AUGUST 11, 2015 12:36
THE DUBAI CREEK at sunset (photo credit: SETH J. FRANTZMAN)
THE DUBAI CREEK at sunset
(photo credit: SETH J. FRANTZMAN)
A man in Dubai let his 20-year-old daughter drown rather than let her be touched by male lifeguards because it would "dishonor her," English-language Dubai website Emirates 24/7 reported Sunday.
After being taken into custody, the man said that he would rather let his daughter die than be touched by a "strange man," according to Deputy Director of Dubai's Police Search and Rescue Department Lt. Col. Ahmed Burqibah.
“This is one of the incidents which I cannot forget,” Burqibah said. “It shocked me and many others who were involved in the case. The... father took his wife and kids to the beach for picnic and fun."
“The kids were swimming in the beach when suddenly the 20-year-old girl started drowning and screaming for help. Two rescue men were at the beach, and they rushed to help the girl. However, there was one obstacle which prevented them from reaching the girl and helping her."
“This obstacle was the [father] who said that if these men touched his daughter, then this would dishonor her. It cost him the life of his daughter.”
According to Burqibah, the father was "tall and strong" enough to prevent lifeguards from performing their duty, going so far as to physically constrain them with violence.
“He told them that he prefers his daughter being dead than being touched by a strange man,” Burqibah added.
The father was later arrested for having blocked rescue teams from saving his daughter's life, Emirates 24/7added.