UAE: Sheikh Saif attends funeral prayer for pilot who died in crash

Abu Dhabi - Family of the deceased also received condolences through social media and phone calls to avoid gatherings.

Lt-Gen Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, attended the funeral prayer for Lt Pilot Nasser Muhammad Al Rashidi, one of the four members of the Abu Dhabi Police’s medical team who died in an air ambulance crash on Saturday.

The Abu Dhabi Police earlier confirmed the death of Al Rashidi; Lt-Col Pilot Khamis Saeed Al Holi; civilian physician Shahid Farouk Gulam; and nurse Joel Qiwi Sakara Minto, who were all on duty when the incident happened.

On Sunday, Sheikh Saif attended the burial of Al Rashidi’s body and mourned with the pilot’s family and residents who gathered to pay their last respects.

The prayer was held at the Martyr Omar Al Muqbali Mosque in Umm Ghafa area, Al Ain, where he was also laid to rest.

The services were conducted in a socially distanced manner as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The family of the deceased also received condolences through social media and phone calls to avoid gatherings.

Sheikh Saif on Saturday took to Twitter to extend condolences to all the grieving families: “With hearts believing in God’s decree and destiny, today, in an air ambulance crash, Lieutenant Pilot Khamis Saeed Al-Houli, Lieutenant Pilot Nasser Muhammad Al-Rashidi, civilian physician Shahid Farouk Ghulam, civil nurse Joel Qiwi Sakara, passed away. They were on their way to carry out their humanitarian duties to protect lives. May God have mercy on them and rest their souls in eternal peace.”

The General Command of the Abu Dhabi Police had also expressed its sympathies.

• Abu Dhabi