An 18-year-old tourist from Mauritius drowned after a jet ski crashed into a breakwater in Dubai on the day she celebrated her 18th birthday, while her teenage relative survived with critical injuries, Dubai Police said.
In a Gulf News report, First Lt. Meera Al Hadad, head of the Victim Support Team at the Dubai Police Port Station, said the two teenagers had traveled to Dubai for a holiday and to celebrate the older girl’s birthday.
Police said the pair switched positions while riding the jet ski on their return trip. The younger, less experienced rider reportedly accelerated before losing control, causing the watercraft to slam into a breakwater.
Both teenagers were thrown into the water.
The 18-year-old died at the scene, while her 17-year-old relative suffered life-threatening injuries after being thrown against the rocks.
Dubai Police marine rescue teams pulled the survivor from the water and rushed her to a hospital, where she underwent multiple surgeries.
Al Hadad described the incident as one of the most heartbreaking cases handled by the victim support team, noting that the victim died on the same day she turned 18.
The injured teenager later recovered after months of treatment and rehabilitation and was eventually able to return home, police said.
