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4-year-old rescued in UAE after swimming pool near drowning
Bystander CPR and a swift emergency response helped save the child after she was found submerged for several minutes
- PUBLISHED: Tue 17 Mar 2026, 11:36 AM
A four-year-old girl has been stabilised after a near-drowning incident, with health authorities commending the swift response of emergency teams and hospital staff in Abu Dhabi.
According to SEHA, a subsidiary of PureHealth, the child had been submerged face down in a swimming pool for an estimated three minutes before being rescued by a bystander who initiated CPR at the scene.
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Emergency Medical Services (EMS) were activated immediately, and responders reported the return of a pulse before transporting the child to Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC). She arrived at the hospital around 30 minutes after the incident in respiratory distress.
Initially, the child’s oxygen levels were stable and she was fully conscious. However, her condition deteriorated rapidly within minutes, with oxygen saturation dropping and signs of neurological compromise emerging.
Doctors at SKMC’s Emergency Department identified lung congestion consistent with post-submersion injury using point-of-care ultrasound, allowing for immediate and targeted treatment.
A multidisciplinary team initiated emergency protocols to stabilise the patient before transferring her to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) for continued care.
Dr Fatima Al Jaberi, Consultant in Pediatric Emergency at SKMC, said timely and coordinated intervention played a critical role in the child’s survival.
“Every second counts in incidents like drowning. The collaborative efforts of EMS and hospital staff were key to the patient’s stabilisation,” she said.
SEHA said the case highlights the importance of water safety awareness, early intervention, and the life-saving role of bystander CPR in emergencies.
As Associate Editor, Sahim Salim helps tell the UAE story like no one else does — and leads a team of reporters that asks the questions to get news and headlines that matter.