A popular Irish physical education teacher and youth football coach died in a weekend dune buggy accident in the Sealine beach area that also claimed the life of his girlfriend, a fellow physical education teacher from England.
Eamonn Morgan and Charlotte Sant were both in their 20s and had moved to Qatar last year.
Morgan had just completed his first year teaching at Compass International School, where he was described as “an excellent teacher and a warm and friendly young man” who was “well-loved and well respected by his colleagues and the pupils he taught,” according principal Graham Horton.
Horton added that Morgan put in extra time outside regular school hours and encouraged youngsters to take up a variety of sports including football, sailing and golf.
“(He) will be fondly remembered and much missed by children across the school,” Horton said in a statement.
Outside of school, Morgan was an academy football coach at Evolution Sports Qatar, where he supervised teams of young players.
He described himself on his school’s profile page as being from a family of five and raised in a “small city in Northern Ireland.” He said he had previously coached in the US and UK and aspired to travel in South America.
Sant was identified in media reports as a physical education teacher from Manchester who, like Morgan, had joined the Qatar Gaelic Athletic Association.
Club chairman Peter Crowe remembered both fondly in a Facebook post, calling them “central to the community that is Qatar GAA”:
“I had the privilege of playing with Eamonn for the past year, an absolute gent, never to be seen without a smile on his face and the definition of a ‘character’ as we’d say back home. I also had the pleasure of training Charlotte for the past year, a sweet girl, who took to a new sport with more enthusiasm than you could ever ask for!”
Vehicle reportedly overturned
The exact circumstances of the dune buggy accident, which is said to have also injured two others, are not known. The Irish News reported that their vehicle veered off a steep incline along sand dunes. The Irish Mirror said the buggy subsequently overturned.
A manager at the Sealine Beach Resort said there were no reports of an accident on the hotel’s property or immediate vicinity. The vehicle rental company at the resort, Sand Dunes Holidays, said none of its quad bikes or buggies were involved in any incident over the weekend.
This is at least the second fatal incident in Qatar’s sand dunes this year. In February, a Sri Lankan Airlines flight attendant was killed and three of her colleagues injured while on a desert safari.
A memorial mass is scheduled for 7pm tonight at Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, according to the Qatar GAA. Compass International School says it will be holding a short time of reflection this week as well as a remembrance assembly in September to look back on Morgan’s “brief but memorable time” with the school.
Thoughts?
Lots of Arabs die in sealine each year, why is it a big deal when a western does? I don’t think this news is worthy!
#brownlivesmatter
How many have died? Who are they? Fact is, it’s always a bit more newsworthy if someone dies in a foreign country, no matter who and no matter where.
Everyones and every creatures life if equally important Omar. No one is saying it is a big deal if a westerner dies over an Arab–except you implying it by your words. Imagine that young girl’s mother reading this comment you have written. Have some compassion.
Omar…you need help. it might be too late though.
Before writing your hurtful and disrespectful comment that their family and friends might see, have you considered that Arabs have a different way of dealing with death?
While it is common in the western world to write about people that have died including names, photos and details about their life or personality, it is not the same in the Arab world.
While all lives in my opinion are newsworthy not all familes want or consent to having the death of their loved ones published as an article.
Omar, it is sad that you diminish a persons life with your simple minded comment. It is not the fact that they are western or Arabic. The fact is that two young people lost their lives due to some sad circumstances.
You are the problem with this world. A persons who chooses to see,discuss, present religious or cultural backgrounds over life. You could just say ‘that’s sad to hear’ or some thing generic instead you choose to spit in the face of these young people and their families with your pathetic comment.
It isn’t a “big deal”, indeed. If you go for a ride with a quad bike or a buggy you KNOW that it is dangerous. If you take the risk anyway, it’s your choice. Physics is brutal.
Daniel, if not already you will undoubtedly go on to live a sad and lonely existence – karma is brutal.
I know nothing about ‘karma’, but a lot about physics which leaves me no time to think about ‘ideologies’ or such. I am happy, by the way.
There are many things that are dangerous that people do willingly, like driving, but in an attempt to save lives they are regulated and not just left to chance. A country can’t just explain away it’s accident statistics by saying “oh it’s dangerous, what do you expect?”
Or he could just keep quiet.
Let these young souls rest in peace
@ Omar : Please restrain your statement in Holy Month of Ramadan as Hatred begets hatred. All lives matter be it black, white, brown or yellow.
I’m not hateful, and I agree that all lives matter. I hope they and all others rest in peace. However, I wasted my time reading this news. Many young people die, and authorities need to do something about it. Villaggio fire is unique, but this type of accidents we got used to.. problem is, Doha News is covering each and every fatal western accident, but why should I care about such news? They can create a “western” death stories instead of adding it in the main page 🙂
Sorry you wasted your time reading about someone else’s tragedy. And during a Holy season no less. My heart goes out to you.
Many expats read this site and we do want to know when things like this happen. Indeed, the fact that this page has over 20 comments demonstrates that you are wrong in thinking such an article is a waste of time. So some of us are sorry to hear about this incident, and we should all take care if engaging in activities that probably could be safer with more oversight. Even if being an expat means you’ve already chosen to take a less safe road in life that still does not excuse accidents as something we shouldn’t look into, see if things can be improved, update our own personal risk calculations, and feel sorry for the people and their loved ones who were not as fortunate during this part of life’s journey.
RIP
Those two people were my friends. If you have nothing positive to say, then keep your thoughts to yourselves. Two lives have been lost, show a degree of respect for their families.
It’s very sad that two people have lost their lives, but I am sure the questions will be raised as to whether they were passengers in a buggy driven by people with experience of the conditions, or were they driving themselves and through inexperience did something that caused the accident. Both have different ramification for safety issues.
It’s sad to see that two lives were lost, their friends and families are grieving, and even with so few comments below, people are already trying to politicize this tragedy. It matters whenever people are hurt or killed, regardless of their nationality; I think many of us would wish that such events were more widely and accurately reported in this part of the world, but sadly facts are often difficult to come by over here. It sounds like this young couple was really enjoying their time here, making the most of it, but even with the most qualified drivers, accidents happen in the dunes. I wish them and their families peace, and I wish understanding and sympathy or empathy to all.
Very sad that two bright young lives were lost. What actually happened? Expecting Doha News’ investigative journalists to dig deeper and come out with the truth.
Human life should matter. Different cultures express their feelings towards the loss of life in a particular way.
In this region, for example, they attribute that loss to fate. Even if it was a gross negligence case.
So, addressing Omar’s comment: yes there were many local Arab victims who died in that area, but the local media have barely made any notice of them. No names, personal information,etc…
So they were just part of government statistics.
There are fatal accidents on the streets of this country that should instigate a national debate. Has that happen ? I am not sure. Maybe Omar can answer that.
May they RIP.
A very unfortunate event. More needs to be done by the police, and those in charge, to make sure that people can safely do these activities without someone dying.
Again, my condolences to the families involved.
Is there any update on this? They were passengers in the buggy – so who’s buggy was it and what are the results of the investigation?
My condolences to their family and friends. ..very sad news to read. I think of my kids’ teachers and I cannot imagine how traumatizing it would be for them to lose their teachers this way. I’m sure everyone they knew are affected by this tragedy.