The Abu Dhabi Police rescued a European couple, lost in the Gharbeya (Western Region) desert.
The couple, in their 50s, whose identities were not revealed, left the Emirates Palace hotel in Abu Dhabi last week, driven in a four wheel vehicle for a safari trip.
Their adventure, however, turned far more dangerous when their car got stuck in the sand and they were unable to set it free. Five hours into their ordeal, and just about to lose hope, they finally called 999 for help.
An air rescue team was dispatched immediately to rescue the couple. Within ten minutes, they were found stranded near the Asab Area in the Gharbeya desert.
“The operation room got a report from tourists asking for help because they were lost and stuck in the sand. They didn’t know exactly where they were but they gave an approximate location. We contacted an air rescue ambulance, stationed at Qasr Al Sarab. Within minutes, the air rescue team was in the air in search for them. It took around ten minutes to reach the mentioned location but we couldn’t find them. After couple of calls with the operation room we were able to determine their location and found the driver waving with the UAE flag at approximately two miles from the spot we were flying over,” explained Major Pilot Mohammad Hammad, Air Rescue Commander who rescued the tourists.
“Their vehicle was half covered by sand. They seemed in good condition, but were taken for a medical check-up at Madinat Zayed Hospital in Gharbeya. The driver, however, refused to leave the car and just needed water to drink,” he added.
