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A woman drowned when her father stopped male lifeguards trying to save her because it would 'dishonour' her.

The man grappled with rescuers as they tried to save the 20-year-old woman as he did not want them to touch her.

By the time the lifeguards off the coast of Dubai had restrained the father, his daughter had drowned.

The incident emerged this week in an interview with Lt Col Ahmed Burqibah, the deputy director of Dubai Police’s search and rescue department.

Lt Col Burqibah told the Emirates 24/7 news website: "The Asian father took his wife and kids to the beach for picnic and fun.

"The kids were swimming in the beach when suddenly, the 20-year-old girl started drowning and screaming for help.

"Two rescue men were at the beach, and they rushed to help the girl.

"However, there was one obstacle which prevented them from reaching the girl and helping her.

"This obstacle was the belief of this Asian man who considered that if these men touched his daughter, then this would dishonour her.

"The father was a tall and strong man. He started pulling and preventing the rescue men and got violent with them.

"He told them that he prefers his daughter being dead than being touched by a strange man.

"She died unfortunately, at a time when she had a chance to live, especially that the rescue men were so close to her to pull her out of the water."

The unnamed woman's father was arrested and prosecuted for stopping the rescue team from doing its job.

It is unclear exactly when the incident took place, although the Guardian claims it dates back as far as 1996.