Woman in swimming pool illustration By: Mahesh Sarin

A woman died by drowning after her father blocked lifeguards from rescuing her because she is not allowed to touch strange men, police in the United Arab Emirates said.

Dubai police said that the incident took place at a beach in the city.

According to the police investigation, the father of the 20-year-old woman took his wife and kids to the beach for a picnic and fun.

The children were swimming in the water when the 20-year-old woman started screaming for help. Two male lifeguards at the beach rushed to help the drowning woman.

However, the father came between the lifeguards and his daughter and warned them not to touch her because doing so would dishonor the family.

The father, who is tall and strong, started pushing the lifeguards and prevented them rescuing the woman.

The lifeguards told investigators that the father said that he preferred his daughter dead rather than be touched by strange men.