Abu Dhabi royal family member among injured in chopper crash

Dubai - The incident took place when the helicopter in which the men were riding crash-landed after sustaining a technical failure.

A member of the Abu Dhabi royal family was among three soldiers injured by a helicopter crash in Yemen. The crash had resulted in the martyrdom of four Emirati soldiers.

On Sunday, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash tweeted his best wishes for the full recovery of Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan and the other soldiers left injured by the helicopter crash.

"Our prayers this morning are to God to protect and heal Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan bin Zayed and his comrades, the sons of this nation, the present and the future," Gargash wrote on his official Twitter account on Sunday morning.

The incident - which took place in Yemen's Shabwah Governate - resulted in the martyrdom of Captain Ahmed Khalifa Al Bloushi, First Lieutenant Pilot Jasim Saleh Al Zaabi, Warrant Officer Mohammed Saeed Al Hassani and Warrant Officer Samir Mohammed Murad Abu Bakr.

The other injured soldiers have been identified as Rashid Al Balushi and Rashid Al Dhuhoori.

Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of State for Federal Council Affairs, also took to Twitter to pay her respects. "May God heal Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan and Rashid Al Balushi and Rashid Al Dhuhoori. They are our pride."

According to the General Command of the Armed Forces, the incident took place when the helicopter in which the men were riding crash-landed after sustaining a technical failure.

On Saturday, the four martyrs were laid to rest in Al Ain, Ajman, Ras al Khaimah and Fujairah.

reporters@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi