Two young children drown in Dubai pool

The 18-month-old and two-year-old were found in the water shortly after iftar on Friday in Mirdif

Two cousins, 18 months and 2 and half years, drown in family pool

An 18-month-old girl and her two-year-old cousin have died after falling into the family pool in the Mirdif area of Dubai on Friday evening, shortly after iftar.

The girl's mother, who lives in Ajman, was invited to have iftar at her sister's home in Mirdif, the children's uncle Ahmad Eisah Al Hammadi told The National.

He said that he had just returned to Ajman from Abu Dhabi when he received a phone call from his brother telling him that his two sisters, whose children drowned, had called to inform him of the incident.

“He told me that the mothers had their iftar and immediately missed the kids,” said Mr Al Hammadi. "They and the rest of the family started looking for the kids and found them in the pool.”

He said that the mothers immediately called for an ambulance, and when paramedics arrived they tried to revive Suad Ibrahim Mohammed Saeed but she was already dead.

The boy, Shihab Abdullah Mubarak, was still alive when paramedics arrived but in critical condition on arrival at Latifa Hospital in Dubai.

“He died today - Saturday,” said the uncle, adding that they had also recently lost another member of the family.

Suad was an only child, while Shihab is survived by a younger sister and three older brothers.

“We are in shock,” said Mr Al Hammadi. "My sisters are in shock but what can we say, Al hamdulillah, Al hamdulillah.”