Dubai: Man stops male lifeguard from saving daughter, terms rescue by stranger as 'dishonouring' her

The father of a 20-year-old woman has been arrested after he let his daughter drown, off the coast of Dubai, while stopping lifeguards from rescuing her.

The Asian man "preferred that his daughter die rather than be touched by some stranger", Emirates 24/7 reported.

"This is one of the incidents which I cannot forget. It shocked me and many others who were involved in the case. The Asian father took his wife and kids to the beach for picnic and fun," the website quoted deputy director Lt Col Ahmed Burqibah of Dubai Police's Search and Rescue Department as saying.

There were many people on the beach when the lifeguards heard screams and immediately rushed to help the woman.

"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 belief of this Asian man who considered that if these men touched his daughter, then this would dishonour her. It cost him the life of his daughter," Burqibah added.

He also claimed that the woman's father was a tall and strong man, who started pulling the rescue workers away and stopped them from saving his drowning daughter.

The man has been arrested and for stopping the rescue team from doing their job and letting his daughter die in the process. ""He was prosecuted and sued by the concerned authorities," Burqibah added.