Qatar World Cup chief says ‘death is a natural part of life’ after death of a migrant worker

Qatar’s World Cup chief executive Nasser Al Khater said “death is a natural part of life" as he responded to questions about the death of a migrant worker.

The Qatari authorities have launched an investigation amid reports that a Filipino man was involved in a forklift truck incident in which he slipped off a ramp while walking alongside the vehicle at a World Cup training base.

Asked by BBC reporters about the worker’s death on Thursday, Al-Khater said: “We’re in the middle of a World Cup and we have a successful World Cup and this is something you want to talk about right now?"

He added: “I mean, death is a natural part of life, whether it’s at work, whether it’s in your sleep.

“Of course, a worker died - our condolences go to his family.

Amnesty International migrants’ labour rights researcher Ella Knight said: “Unfortunately, Mr Al Khater is mistaken when he says that every fatality is investigated. This is simply not true.

"We and others have been calling on the Qatari authorities to conduct such investigations on workers’ deaths for years to no avail.

"Instead, they continue to simply write off vast numbers of deaths as being due to ‘natural causes’ despite the clear health risks associated with working in extreme temperatures.

"It goes without saying that the Government should be investigating this most recent tragic case, as well as the deaths of all others. Every single family who has lost a loved one as a result of their working conditions in Qatar deserves answers and remedy for their loss."

Additional reporting from PA