Seven Emiratis caused death of compatriot on boat trip, rules court

Seven men have been convicted of negligently causing the death of an Emirati man who drowned on a recreational boating trip in Fujairah.

The Dibba Al Fujairah preliminary federal court found the seven men - also Emirati - guilty of unintentionally and negligently causing the death of YM.

According to Wam, the state news agency, the men - aged 23 to 47 - took YM with them on a boating trip in the Dibba Al Fujairah area in April. They did not obtain the prior written consent of YM's parents and did not take proper safety precautions, the court found.

The trip involved several people affiliated with the student administration of the Social Guidance Association in Ajman, which had been dissolved by the Ministry of Social Affairs. One of the men was the association manager.

During the boat trip near the Royal Beach Hotel, one of the men asked the captain to stop the boat to let the passengers swim.

YM jumped into the water along with others; later, a boat staff member noticed that he was missing. One of the seven men found YM drowned. He was pulled out of the water and taken to a hospital, but died.

Court testimony showed that the boat was not equipped with appropriate safety measures, such as first aid and rescue kits. The court also found that the boat owner, who was one of the defendants, employed unqualified staff.

One boat staff member said it was his first experience on a leisure boat trip and that he worked as a fisherman, but could not swim, according to Wam. The boat skipper said that the boat had no lifeguard and that it was only equipped with a single life jacket for rescues.

The court ordered two of the defendants to pay a Dh5,000 fine each and the other five to pay a Dh2,000 fine each.

In addition, the court ordered that the seven men jointly pay Dh200,000 in blood money and fast for two consecutive months.

The court was presided over by Justice Ahmed Mohammed Al Thanhani.