Ras Al Khaimah - It hit a zipline before crashing and bursting into flames.
Published: Sun 30 Dec 2018, 6:00 PM
Updated: Mon 31 Dec 2018, 7:29 AM
Four crew members lost their lives after their rescue helicopter crashed into Ras Al Khaimah's Jebel Jais mountain, Khaleej Times has learnt. It hit a zipline before crashing and bursting into flames.
The three Emiratis onboard have been identified as:
-Pilot Saqr Saeed Mohamed Abdullah AlYamahi
-Pilot Hameed Mohamed Obaid AlZa'abi - who hailed from Al Salehia area in Ras Al Khaimah, was leading the rescue team.
-Navigator Jasim Abdullah Ali Tunaiji
- Flight Paramedic Mark Roxburgh - a South African national.
Eyewitnesses said the tragic mishap took place around 6.30pm on Saturday.
"The chopper went into a spin all of a sudden and then crashed into the mountain. It burst into a ball of fire," Salam Naif, en eyewitness said.
Police sources have confirmed the tragic mishap. "More details will be announced shortly," they said.
The RAK Tourism Development Authority said zipline visitors were safe. "The tragic chopper collision took place 50 minutes after the closure of the zipline," it said.
Officials are assessing if any of the ziplines have been damaged as a result of the accident.
Jebel Jais, the highest mountain in the UAE, is home to the world's longest zipline.
ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com
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