Okaz/Saudi Gazette MAKKAH — Eight-year-old Ata'allah Al-Sulami who drowned in a water drainage canal on Saturday was laid to rest in Makkah on Sunday. Al-Sulami's family has blamed the Makkah municipality and the contracting company carrying out the project for the death of their son because the water canal, located behind Al-Wehda sport club in Makkah, lacked warning signs and safety measures. The family of the victim said the company did not put any concrete barriers to prevent people from falling into the canal. The canal, according to many locals, is a serious threat to residents who live nearby. The municipality had recently opened part of a dam to release some pressure, causing a torrent of water to rush through the canal. Al-Sulami and his two sisters were playing near the canal when he fell in and drowned in the fast running water. Despite the shouts of his two sisters calling for help, it was too late for Al-Sulami. His 70-year-old father was able to do little but watch and search for his son's body in the water. The Civil Defense was called to the location with a team of divers that found Al-Sulami's body and rushed him to a local hospital. Doctors attempted to revive the boy, but were unsuccessful. Hilal Al-Sulami, a local resident, said Makkah Mayor Osama Al-Bar visited the location seven months ago and urged the contracting company to seal the area and protect against people entering the canal. Al-Sulami questioned why the contracting company did not do anything, but put the blame on the municipality for not following up with the contracting company. He demanded an independent body to investigate the case.
