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'Enough for us you're sleeping, at peace': Last words of UAE pilot Ali Al Tunaiji
UAE mourns the loss of two members of the armed forces killed in a helicopter crash on Monday
- PUBLISHED: Tue 10 Mar 2026, 10:57 AM UPDATED: Tue 10 Mar 2026, 11:15 AM
[Editor's Note: Follow Khaleej Times live blog amid US-Israel-Iran war for the latest regional developments.]
A voice message sent by First Lieutenant Ali Saleh Ismail Al Tunaiji before his final mission has moved the nation, as the UAE mourns the two members of the armed forces killed in a helicopter crash on Monday. In it, he spoke with the quiet certainty of a man at peace with his duty.
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"The great reward comes from the Lord of the worlds. If it is written that we are to be among the martyrs, then we shall be martyred. And if God grants us life, it is enough for us that you are well, sleeping and at peace," Ali Al Tunaiji said in the voice message.
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On Monday, March 9, 2026, the UAE Ministry of Defence announced the martyrdom of Captain Pilot Saeed Rashid Hamad Al Balushi and First Lieutenant Pilot Ali Saleh Ismail Al Tunaiji, following the crash of a helicopter due to a technical malfunction while performing their national duty.
The Ministry extended its deepest condolences to the families of the two martyrs, asking Almighty God to envelop them in His vast mercy and grant their loved ones patience and solace.
The funeral prayer for First Lieutenant Ali Saleh Ismail Al Tunaiji will be held on Tuesday, March 10, following the Dhuhr prayer at Abdullah Al Amaashi Mosque in Al Rams, Ras Al Khaimah. The funeral prayer for Captain Saeed Rashid Hamad Al Balushi will be held at Al Muatared Al Kabeer Mosque in Al Ain following the Dhuhr prayer.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, received a phone call from Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, who conveyed his condolences and affirmed Qatar's full solidarity with the UAE in this painful loss.
Other countries including Oman, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia too have offered condolences to the UAE over the loss of the soldiers.
The martyrdom of both officers comes as the UAE faces an unprecedented wave of Iranian aerial attacks, which began on February 28, 2026, following joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran.
According to the UAE Ministry of Defence, Iran has fired a total of 238 ballistic missiles and 1,422 drones at UAE territory since the conflict began. Of those, 221 ballistic missiles and 1,342 drones were successfully intercepted and destroyed, alongside eight cruise missiles.
The attacks have resulted in four deaths and injuries among 112 individuals of various nationalities. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs has described the attacks as a violation of international law and the UN Charter, affirming that the country is in “a state of defence” following Iran’s “unprovoked aggression.”
While the UAE does not seek escalation, it has reaffirmed its right to “safeguard sovereignty, national security, and territorial integrity.”
Ruqayya Alqaydi is a Special Correspondent with an endless curiosity to learn. Like a journalist on a caffeine overdrive, she is fuelled by passion and on a mission to uncover every gem in the UAE.
