Indian-origin doctor, 26, killed in UAE aircraft crash

The small plane, which took off from Jazirah Aviation Club for a sightseeing trip, crashed shortly after takeoff near the Cove Rotana Hotel, said the aviation authority.

According to General Civil Aviation Authority, a 26-year-old Pakistani woman who was piloting the aircraft also died in the accident.

Sulaymaan, who was born and raised in the UAE, had hired the plane for a sightseeing experience with his family. His father, mother, and younger brother were present at the aviation club and they were watching the flight, said reports.

Sulaymaan’s younger brother was scheduled to get on the next ride on the aircraft.

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'Our lives are shattered'

Sulaymaan's heartbroken father told the UAE-based newspaper Khaleej Times that they were looking forward to the New Year as a family, planning to celebrate together.

“Instead, our lives have been shattered," he said, adding that it feels like "time has stopped" for them.

"Sulaymaan was the light of our lives, and we don't know how to move forward without him,” he pointed out. The aviation authority has launched an investigation "to determine the cause" of the deadly crash.

Initial reports indicate that the glider lost radio contact and had tried to attempt an emergency landing.

“Despite resuscitation efforts, both occupants succumbed to their injuries," the aviation authority added. The family rushed to the hospital after the crash but they were told that both were critically injured and undergoing resuscitation efforts. Sulaymaan passed away before we could see him, said the father.

Sulaymaan was a clinical fellow at the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust in the UK. As co-chair of the Northern Resident Doctors Committee of the British Medical Association he focused on advocating for fair pay and promoting the reclassification of "junior doctors" to "resident doctors".