An Indian civil engineer died during a scuba diving session at Jumeirah Beach in Dubai on Friday, June 6, while vacationing with family during the Eid Al Adha holidays. Issac Paul Olakkengil, 29, originally from Kerala, was with his wife, Reshma, and younger brother Ivin when the incident unfolded.
According to Khaleej Times, Olakkengil suffered a cardiac arrest after experiencing difficulty breathing underwater during a training session in a designated scuba diving area. Olakkengil was immediately taken to the hospital, but could not be revived. His younger brother, Ivin, collapsed when he arrived at the hospital and is currently under medical observation.
David Pyarilos, Olakkengil’s uncle, who is assisting the family with the legal process, confirmed the details of the incident, the report stated. “It seems they were getting trained for scuba diving, and apparently, he (Issac) couldn’t breathe properly and moved away from the pack,” the Khaleej Times quoted Pyarilos.
“So, everyone panicked and was impacted underwater. I was told Reshma was rescued to the shore first, followed by the other two,” he added.
Pyarilos shared that while Ivin is now stable, doctors are closely monitoring him. “All of them are engineers. While Olakkengil and Reshma are in Dubai, Ivin is based in Abu Dhabi,” added Pyarilos. “Ivin’s friends just told me they are concerned about breaking this heart-wrenching news to him, as the brothers shared a strong bond,” he said.
Ivin was informed of his brother’s death the following day, Saturday, while the family continued working with Dubai authorities to complete the formal investigation. Law enforcement has seized the scuba equipment used during the session for analysis as part of the investigation.
Arrangements are underway to take Olakkengil’s body to India once the legal documentation is completed. “We are working with the authorities to repatriate his mortal remains after we receive the necessary legal documents,” Pyarilos said.
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