Watch: How KT Desert Drive team came to the rescue of off-roader who got stuck in sand

Fully equipped with all the resources they need for a desert rescue operation, the team has been coordinating over radio and walkie-talkies

As the KT Desert Drive hit the halfway mark at noon on Saturday, a lot of first-time and experienced drivers enjoyed their tryst with the desert. Local volunteering group UAE Rescue Team was on hand to make sure that everyone was safe at all times.

Saleh Al Romaithi, a member of the UAE Rescue Team, helped one of the KT Desert Drive participants who got stuck in the dunes by using the winch of his huge 4x4 off-roader.

“This is a classic routine procedure for me and my team, we are certainly well prepared for such occurrences," Saleh told Khaleej Times.

Fully equipped with all the resources they need for a desert rescue operation, the team has been coordinating over radio and walkie-talkies.

The teams are divided into 10 groups and are in touch with the marshals to make sure that the KT Desert Drive participants are taken care of.

Founded in 2016, the UAE Rescue Team is a non-profit group that works around the clock and has around 1,500 registered volunteers across the country.

Asked what motivates the team as they offer their services without expecting anything in return, Saleh said: “We just want to give back to the community in the spirit of the UAE's Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan."