A tragic plane crash off the coast of Ras Al Khaimah claimed the lives of a Pakistani pilot and her companion, 26-year-old Indian doctor Sulaymaan Al Majid, on Thursday, December 26.
Read More: Body Found in United Airlines Jet’s Wheel Well After Landing in Maui
The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) confirmed the incident on Sunday, stating that investigations are underway to determine the cause of the crash, as reported by Khaleej Times.
According to Sulaymaan’s father, Majid Mukarram, the crash occurred shortly after takeoff at 2 pm near the Cove Rotana Hotel, close to the beach. Sulaymaan, who was born and raised in the UAE, had hired the light aircraft for a sightseeing trip.
His family, including his parents and younger brother, were present at the aviation club to watch the flight. Sulaymaan’s younger brother was scheduled to take the next flight.
Initially, the family was informed that the aircraft had lost radio contact. Later, they were told it had made an emergency landing and that the occupants were hospitalized.
“When we reached the hospital, we were told both were critically injured and undergoing resuscitation efforts,” Majid recalled. “Sulaymaan passed away before we could see him. His time of death was recorded shortly after 4:30 pm.”
The devastating loss has left the family in shock. “We were looking forward to celebrating the New Year together. Instead, our lives have been shattered,” said Majid. “Sulaymaan was the light of our lives. We don’t know how to move forward without him.”
Sulaymaan was a clinical fellow at the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust in the UK and an active member of the British Medical Association. He had served as the Honorary Secretary and later Co-Chair of the Northern Resident Doctors Committee, advocating for better pay and reclassifying “junior doctors” as “resident doctors.”
A graduate of Dubai Scholars School, Sulaymaan was remembered as a bright and ambitious individual with a passion for medicine and advocacy.
The family, based in Sharjah, is preparing for Sulaymaan’s funeral, which will take place at Al Ghusai graveyard at 8:15 pm on Sunday. His younger brother shared the tragic news on Instagram, requesting privacy during this difficult time.
The GCAA’s Air Accident Investigation Sector has begun its probe into the crash. Teams and relevant authorities are working to uncover the cause. The GCAA extended its condolences to the victims’ families.
This incident follows another aviation tragedy in the UAE last month, where a flight instructor died after a training aircraft lost radar contact and crashed near Fujairah.
