Pilot and Passenger Killed in Glider Crash Near Ras Al Khaimah

Ras Al Khaimah, UAE – A sightseeing trip turned tragic on Thursday, December 26, when a two-seater glider from the Jazirah Aviation Club crashed off the coast of Ras Al Khaimah, killing both the pilot and her passenger.

The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) confirmed the incident on Sunday, stating that investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the crash.

Among the victims was 26-year-old Indian doctor Sulaymaan Al Majid, a UAE-born clinical fellow with the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust in the UK. The pilot, a 29-year-old Pakistani woman, also lost her life in the crash.

The accident occurred shortly after takeoff at approximately 2 p.m., near the Cove Rotana Hotel along the coastline. Sulaymaan had rented the glider for a sightseeing experience, while his family, including his father, mother, and younger brother, watched from the aviation club. His younger brother was scheduled to take the next flight.

Initially, the family was informed that the glider had lost radio contact. “Later, we were told it had made an emergency landing and that the occupants were taken to the hospital,” said Sulaymaan’s father, Majid Mukarram, in an interview with Khaleej Times.

Upon reaching the hospital, the family learned that both individuals were critically injured and undergoing resuscitation. Sulaymaan was pronounced dead shortly after 4:30 p.m., before his family could see him.

A Family in Mourning

Sulaymaan’s death has left his family devastated. “We were looking forward to celebrating the New Year together. Instead, our lives have been shattered. Sulaymaan was the light of our lives, and we don’t know how to move forward without him,” Majid said.

Sulaymaan was remembered as a bright and ambitious individual passionate about medicine and advocacy. He served as Honorary Secretary and later Co-Chair of the Northern Resident Doctors Committee of the British Medical Association, where he championed pay restoration and reforms for resident doctors.

The family, who resides in Sharjah, is preparing for Sulaymaan’s funeral, which will take place at the Al Ghusais graveyard on Sunday evening. His younger brother shared the news on Instagram, requesting privacy during this difficult time.

Ongoing Investigation

The GCAA confirmed its Air Accident Investigation Sector is working with relevant authorities to uncover the cause of the crash. The authority extended its condolences to the families of the victims.

This incident follows another aviation tragedy in the UAE last month. On November 12, a flight instructor died when a training aircraft lost radar contact and later crashed near Fujairah, with the instructor’s body found on the shoreline.

The aviation community in the UAE is calling for increased safety measures following these recent accidents.