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An Indian-origin doctor was among two killed in a light aircraft crash off the coast of UAE's Ras Al Khaimah on Sunday. The crash claimed the lives of both the pilot and co-pilot, the General Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement.
Sulaymaan Al Majid was co-piloting the aircraft with a 26-year-old Pakistani woman who also died in the accident.
Born and raised in the UAE, 26-year-old Sulaymaan had hired the plane for a sightseeing experience with his family. His father, mother, and younger brother were at the aviation club to watch the flight, according to reports.
Sulaymaan's younger brother was scheduled to take the next flight, as per the reports.
"We were looking forward to the New Year as a family, planning to celebrate together. Instead, our lives have been shattered. It feels like time has stopped for us. Sulaymaan was the light of our lives, and we don't know how to move forward without him," Sulaymaan's father was quoted as saying by the UAE-based newspaper Khaleej Times.
The crash occurred shortly after takeoff near the Cove Rotana Hotel along the beach, said the aviation authority.
"Initial reports suggest the glider lost radio contact and later attempted an emergency landing. Despite resuscitation efforts, both occupants succumbed to their injuries," the aviation authority added.
Sulaymaan was a clinical fellow at the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust in the UK, according to his LinkedIn profile. He was actively involved with the British Medical Association (BMA), where he served as Honorary Secretary and later as co-chair of the Northern Resident Doctors Committee. During his tenure, he focused on advocating for fair pay and promoting the reclassification of "junior doctors" to "resident doctors."
The aviation authority has launched an investigation "to determine the cause" of the deadly crash.