Ahmad Bin Zayed laid to rest

Abu Dhabi: The body of Shaikh Ahmad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, 41, younger brother of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, was laid to rest at Al Bateen burial ground following funeral prayers at Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque Wednesday.

Shaikh Ahmad died last Friday when his glider crashed into a lake reservoir near Saidi Mohammad Bin Abdullah dam in Morocco, state news agency WAM said.

While the glider pilot was rescued, an international team of rescuers and divers spent four days plumbing the lake depths as part of the emergency search leading to the discovery of his body in 60 metres of water.

Funeral prayers were performed by Shaikh Khalifa, who was accompanied by members of the Royal Family, other Shaikhs, government ministers and ambassadors from across the Middle East. The prayers marked the start of three days of national mourning.

Shaikh Ahmad was the Managing Director of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and was ranked by Forbes magazine as the 27th most powerful person in the world.