Police question man over video of iPhone being thrown off Burj Khalifa
dubai — The Dubai Police recently interrogated a man who posted a viral video shot in the emirate, showing an iPhone 7 being hurled from one of the top floors of the Burj Khalifa. A senior police official said the act could have endangered people who were walking below the building.
The video went viral on social media, provoking the police questioning; they made the man sign an undertaking that he would not repeat such incidents that endangered his own life and those of others. He is liable to penalty or punishment if he repeats such acts.
The man, a Ukrainian tech vlogger, who goes by the username TechRadar on YouTube, shared the video last week showing himself visiting the Burj Khalifa and then dropping a brand new iPhone from the 148th floor. He is then unable to locate it on the ground after it crashed from a height of 2,717 feet. “This thing is fried. It’s just completely destroyed. The impact hit it to the point where I can’t track it,” he says in the video.
The police did not receive any formal complaint about the video, but investigated it because of its online popularity.
Major-General Khalil Ibrahim Al Mansouri, Assistant Commanderin-Chief of Dubai Police for Criminal Investigation, said that Dubai buildings incorporate all safety measures, but once in a way, they apprehend people who are fond of taking daring selfies or videos from dangerous positions on rooftops or the higher floors. Their aim is just to get more viewers and followers on social media, he pointed out.
Maj-Gen Al Mansouri said the Dubai Police are coordinating with building security guards, owners and real estate management to keep them informed about such acts and that strict action will be taken against the perpetrators.
As a safe alternative, those who want to perform stunts or take photos atop tall buildings should just seek permission from concerned authorities, so that the necessary safety measures are provided to them.
As an example, Maj-Gen Al Mansouri pointed out the various film shootings and associated stunts that take place in Dubai, under the supervision of the authorities who assured safety arrangements.
amira@khaleejtimes.com