"He knew he was leaving us", father of 4-yr-old

Sharjah - Family outing ends in tragedy as four-year-old boy is killed.

It was almost as if four-year-old Abdullah Mohammed knew he was going to die as he and his family set out on a drive to Al Dhaid from Abu Dhabi to enjoy the pleasant weather on Sunday.
"My little one was very happy about the trip and it was like he knew he was going to leave us; he kept hugging and kissing me," said his father, Mohammed Salim, 37.
The family outing turned into a disaster for Salim, an Indian, after his four-year-old died in a rain-related traffic accident. Another eight-year-old son is battling for life, while six other family members - including a toddler - were discharged after being treated for minor injuries.
Their car flipped after Salim lost control on a rain-clogged road. The victims were rushed to Al Qasimi hospital. At the time of filing this report, preparations were under way to move Salim's eight-year-old son to Zayed Military hospital for a surgery.
Speaking to Khaleej Times, Salim, who was born in Abu Dhabi and speaks Arabic fluently, said: "Since the school was closed for the holidays, my children and wife were pushing me to go to Al Dhaid to enjoy the weather."
Salim's children - Ahmed Mansad, 12; Mohammed Ameen, 10; Mohammed Saeed, 8; Mahmoud Mohammed, 6; and Abdullah Mohammed - prepared their bags with balls, skating shoes and toys, said the distressed father.
"Their mother, Fatima Alawi prepared food and snacks for the whole family," said Salim.
"We started our journey from Abu Dhabi at 10am. The weather was beautiful and it was raining. As we passed intersection 9 in Al Dhaid, our car passed through a large puddle and I lost control over it."
Due to the sudden bump, Abdullah was flung out of the car and landed five metres away. He died on the spot.
"I thought he would be fine, but came to know later that he passed away. But I thank God as my other children and wife are fine.
"It was a shocking news for my wife and she hasn't stopped crying since receiving the news. I pray to God to save my other son, Saeed. I request everyone to pray for him. I don't want to lose another son," said Salim, as he broke into tears.
The funeral of little Abdullah will be held in Abu Dhabi.
afkarali@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE