Almost 100 British tourists die in the UAE in a year

UK government report details a year-on-year increase in deaths but a decrease in arrests among the 727,000 Britons who visited the UAE in the past year.

DUBAI // There has been a steep increase in the number of deaths among British tourists visiting the UAE.

New figures released by the UK government in the Helping British Nationals Abroad report from 2014-2015 show there were 98 deaths compared to 75 over the same period the previous year.

The report compiles information on the difficulties faced by Britons who required consular help, and shows that the UAE was the seventh most likely country where British nationals would require such help.

The latest figures also show that arrests fell to 246 from 261 in 2013-2014, and that the drop was despite the number of British tourists increasing to 727,000 in 2014-2015 from 626,000 the year before.

There was also a fall in the number of Britons arrested in the UAE for drugs offences, down to nine from 16 the year before.

The number of reported cases where tourists were victims of rape or sexual assault also fell to seven from nine in 2013-2014.

However, the number of cases where Britons needed to go to hospital increased from 54 to 67.

“Every day our dedicated staff are out helping British nationals across the globe,” said Grant Shapps, the UK minister for consular affairs.

“From making hospital visits and contacting friends and family in the UK, through to supporting grieving families, or providing emergency travel documents, so people can get home.

“This report provides an insight into what consular staff do every day,” he said.

“But it also offers important advice on how people can take responsibility for their own safety abroad, from checking the FCO [Foreign and Commonwealth Office] travel advice and taking out comprehensive travel insurance, to researching the country and health risks before travelling.

“Most of us can look forward to a fantastic, trouble-free holiday this summer.

“But for those who do find themselves in difficulty, the FCO will continue to provide a crucial source of support.”

Internationally, consular staff helped 17,058 Britons who needed serious assistance abroad in 2014-2015, a drop of two per cent from the previous year.

The report revealed an overall 12 per cent drop in arrests and an 11 per cent drop in deaths.

Hospital visits increased by three per cent and mental health cases almost doubled and was now a particular area of focus for consular officials.

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