Qatar residents have expressed concern about the circumstances surrounding an 8-year-old boy’s death at the Aqua Park on Friday, saying the park was ill-equipped to handle the crisis.

It took an ambulance 45 minutes to reach the boy, a Palestinian who drowned in a swimming pool that was 4.5 feet deep, local media reports. The child was accompanied to the park by his siblings, a witness said.

“I’m very upset,” said Fatin, a park-goer who witnessed the unsuccessful resuscitation efforts.

“His older brother was crying… he held the doctor’s hand, saying please, but the doctor said we don’t have any equipment,” she said in an interview with Doha News. “No electricity, no oxygen, nothing.”

The park is located some 40 km outside of Doha. 

During its soft launch in 2010, complaints arose about a lack of safety measures after an 11-year-old boy broke a rib and injured a kidney after falling off one of the park’s attractions.

The park’s operations manager has declined to comment about either incident.

“Everybody’s angry, but no answer,” Fatin said. “What happened?”

What are your thoughts about the whole ordeal?

Credit: Photo courtesy of Aqua Park Qatar