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The Al Wasl Dome is seen at sunset at Expo 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 1, 2021. After eight years of planning and billions of dollars in spending, the Middle East’s first ever World Fair opened on Friday in Dubai, with hopes the months-long extravaganza draws both visitors and global attention to this desert-turned-dreamscape.
Men watch a display at the Saudi Arabia pavilion at Expo 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021.
Men watch a display at the Thailand pavilion at Expo 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021.
A man walks past a display at the Saudi Arabia pavilion at Expo 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021.
Marchers wave the French and Emirati flags during the French ceremonial day at the Dubai Expo 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Oct, 2, 2021.
A member of the Patrouille de France military stunt team flies past the Garden in the Sky feature at Expo 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021.
Marchers parade during the French ceremonial day at the Dubai Expo 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Oct, 2, 2021.
Marchers wave the French and Emirati flags during the French ceremonial day at the Dubai Expo 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Oct, 2, 2021.
Marchers wave the French and Emirati flags during the French ceremonial day at the Dubai Expo 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Oct, 2, 2021.
Marchers wave the French and Emirati flags during the French ceremonial day at the Dubai Expo 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Oct, 2, 2021.
French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, centre, arrives for an official ceremony at Al Wasl Plaza at the Dubai Expo 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021.
People visit the UK pavilion at the Dubai Expo 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Oct, 2, 2021.
People visit the UK pavilion at the Dubai Expo 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021.
Patroille de France aerobatic team perform during a French ceremonial day at the Dubai Expo 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Oct, 2. 2021.
Patroille de France aerobatic team perform during a French ceremonial day at the Dubai Expo 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021.
Patroille de France aerobatic team perform during a French ceremonial day at the Dubai Expo 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Oct, 2. 2021.
French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, centre, arrives for an official ceremony at Al Wasl Plaza at the Dubai Expo 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021.
French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, talks during an official ceremony at Al Wasl Plaza of the Dubai Expo 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Oct, 2. 2021.
French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, talks during an official ceremony at Al Wasl Plaza of the Dubai Expo 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021.
French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, right, and Reem Ebrahim Al-Hashimi, Minister of State and Managing Director for the Dubai World Expo 2020, watch the. Patroille de France aerobatic team flying over the French Pavilion at the Dubai Expo 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021.
French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, right, and Reem Ebrahim Al-Hashimi, Minister of State and Managing Director for the Dubai World Expo 2020, talk to each other at the French Pavilion of the Dubai Expo 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021.
People visit the UK pavilion at the Dubai Expo 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Oct, 2, 2021.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Dubai’s Expo 2020 on Saturday offered conflicting figures for how many workers had been killed on site during construction of the massive world’s fair, first saying five and then later three.
Expo refused for months to publicly provide any figures for construction-related casualties in the run-up to the $7 billion fair rising from the desert outside Dubai, designed the burnish the city’s reputation abroad and draw millions of visitors.
Expo officials did not immediately explain their inconsistent statements, which come as the event and the United Arab Emirates as a whole has long faced criticism from human rights activists over the poor treatment of the low-paid migrant laborers who keep the country’s economy humming.
When pressed to provide a number for worker deaths at a news conference Saturday morning, spokesperson Sconaid McGeachin said “we have had five fatalities now,” adding that “you know, that is obviously a tragedy that anybody would die.”
But just after 5 p.m. Saturday and hours after an Associated Press report quoted McGeachin, Expo put out a statement that said: “Unfortunately, there have been three work-related fatalities (and) 72 serious injuries to date.” When asked by the AP, officials declined to immediately explain the discrepancy from a top Expo official and their own written statements.
