A Bangladeshi housemaid drowned while rescuing four Emirati children who were nearly swallowed by the sea at a beach in Abu Dhabi.
Deceased Safia plucked and pushed the four boys one after another when they ventured towards the water in Dabiya beach. However, she got stuck in strong currents, according to several Emirati media.
“I came to the beach and found that Safiya was struggling to swim back to the beach… she was plunging into the water and emerging out again… we finally pulled her out but she later died just before the arrival of the ambulance,” said Abu Abdullah, whose son Abdullah was rescued by the maid.
“She did a heroic act by saving my son and his three friends. We all owe this woman and we are all saddened by her death.”
He said Safiya had been with his family for nearly four years. "She had planned to get her daughter married within the next two months."
“She was so brave and sacrificed her life for our children without hesitation… she paid with her life for this noble and courageous act,” he said.
He said he was in touch with Safiya’s family in Bangladesh to arrange for the repatriation of her body and to raise funds from the families whose kids were rescued to send money to her family.