A 16-year-old Dubai-based teenager tragically fell to her death from the 17th floor of a building while trying to click a selfie, Gulf News reported.
Colonel Faisal Al Qasim, Director of Security Media in Dubai Police, confirmed the incident took place on Saturday as the Afghani girl was sitting at the edge of a balcony in her parents' flat when she fell to her death.
According to information made public by Dubai Police, the deceased's sister witnessed the tragedy as it unfolded. Speaking to local police, she explained that her sibling was standing on a chair when "she lost her balance" and fell. This is >considered the first selfie-related death to be reported in the UAE.
According to Gulf News, Kharbash Tower, the building where the 16-year-old girl resided "is a popular vantage point from where photographers and bloggers take pictures of the Burj Khalifa."
A tenant in the high-rise residential block who spoke with the English-language daily on condition of anonymity said that photographers and bloggers often come to the building to capture images of Burj Khalifa as it's located nearby.
"Last New Year, a blogger came and asked to record the Burj Khalifa fireworks from our building," the resident explained.
Following the horrific incident, Dubai Police issued a warning urging people to be cautious while trying to take selfies.
Selfie-related deaths are on the rise worldwide
Earlier this year, the death of Saudi businessman Mothker Al Subaie while trying to >take a selfie in front of the White Nile in Uganda left people shocked. The tourist died of drowning after slipping into the river while trying to click the image.
Selfie-related deaths aren't only claiming the lives of people from the region. In fact, a 2018 global study >revealed that the quest to snap extreme selfies led to the death of 259 people between 2011 and 2017.
It also revealed that 72.5 percent of all selfie deaths reported involve male victims. The alarming numbers have moved many to call on officials to introduce "no selfie zones" in dangerous areas including "the tops of mountains, tall buildings and lakes."