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Drive Safely in the Desert, Warn Service Authorities

DUBAI – An Australian family’s rescue on the weekend has prompted emergency service authorities to caution residents and tourists to take care in the deserts.

In mid-August, six foreigners lost their way and got stuck in the Seeh Al Aqareb desert in Sharjah, while police and off-roading teams say such incidents occur more often as growing numbers of inexperienced drivers take to the sands.

Australian nationals Jenny and Peter, who declined to give their surname, began a day trip off-roading in Ras Al Khaimah on Friday with their two sons, aged eight and five.

The family did not travel with another couple as their off-road guide led them to expect an “enjoyable and tranquil” drive that was unlikely to require the tyres to be deflated.

Peter had completed a four-wheel drive course and a handful of desert drives in the region but on the way to Falaj Al Mualla, near Ghaf Forest, they struck a soft dune and got stuck.

“We weren’t really worried. We had lots of water and there was a road about one km away,” Jenny said. “But we couldn’t get out.”

Major Saeed Al Yamahi, Director of Ras Al Khaimah’s Airwing Police, said the family were tracked down one and a half hour later, through the reference points Peter provided.

Four-wheel drive rescue vehicles helped tow the car out and drove the family back to the road to return to Dubai.

“They were fantastic, real heroes,” Jenny said.

The couple warned others not to make similar mistakes and ensure they were always well prepared and travelling with another car, regardless of the guidebook.

Al Yamahi issued a similar warning, given Ras Al Khaimah’s vast desert area and the difficulties posed in locating people.

“It’s a very big desert and it’s very difficult to find people,” he said.

“It happens quite regularly – about 20 to 30 rescues through the year.”

“Only last month, two UAE nationals came from Abu Dhabi and became stuck. They tried to get out and became tired. They were thirsty and fainted. Somebody found them and saved them. We were able to locate them, get them to hospital and saved them,” Al Yamahi said.

During the incident in mid-August, the group of Americans and Canadians were unable to use their global positioning system (GPS), but were rescued by a Dubai Police team who managed to find them during darkness and with the use of maps, only three hours later.

zoe@khaleejtimes.com

afkarali@khaleejtimes.com