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Father in Colombo hospital’s intensive care unit

A young Emirati woman and her 14-month-old child died at a hospital in the suburbs of Colombo from alleged food poisoning less than 12 hours after their arrival in the Sri Lankan capital on Tuesday morning.

The two Emirati nationals suspected to have died of food poisoning did not have a meal in Sri Lanka, according to latest media reports.

The father remains admitted in hospital and is receiving further treatment.

The last time they had consumed food were the snacks they were offered during their flight to Sri Lanka, Dr Samanthi De Silva, Head of Medical Services at Hemas Hospital in Wattala was reported as telling a Sri Lankan television channel Ada Derana.

The family of three from Ras Al Khaimah arrived in Sri Lanka at 5am on Tuesday and were taken to the emergency room of Hemas Hospital at 8pm.

A source said: “The 24-year old husband is identified as Mohammad Ali Obaid Al Mazroui, and accompanied his wife and their only child to Sri Lanka only two days ago."

The child, Ali Mohammed Ali Al Mazroui, arrived at the hospital unconscious and could not be revived. His mother, Dalal Ali Saif Obaid Al Mazroui, 23, died one and a half hours later. The father, Mohammad Ali Obaid Al Mazroui, 24, is in recovery.

Dr. De Silva stated that from the conversations they had with the family it was revealed they had eaten some food items during the flight and had consumed food they had brought down from UAE.

News of the tragedy, which was being reported on several Arabic websites and TV stations, said the family were on holiday in Sri Lanka.

Other reports suggested they may have been on transit because they were staying at a hotel in Seeduwa which is close to the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake.

Meanwhile, one website quoted sources close to the family as saying that the couple hailed from the Wadi Kope valley in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah.

The source said the family in Ras Al Khaimah were informed about the incident by a telephone call made by the driver who was serving the family in Sri Lanka.

Members of the family have travelled to Sri Lanka to transfer the bodies and help the husband.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs follows up

Ambassador Hamad Saeed Al Shamsi, Director of the Department of Operations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Ministry has been following up and coordinating with the UAE Embassy in Colombo over the death of family of Emirati Mohammed Ali Obaid Al Mazrouei in Colombo.

According to the Sri Lankan Authorities, the wife and son of Al Mazrouei died because of severe poisoning.

Al Shamsi said that the condition of father was stable after receiving treatment at intensive care unit, adding that the Ministry has dispatched a specialised team to follow up the investigations with the Sri Lankan Authorities to establish causes of the death.

He stressed keenness of the Ministry on following up conditions of Emiratis abroad through provision of assistance in all circumstances.