DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, mourned the firefighter who died responding to the crash-landing of an Emirates airliner.
Sheikh Mohammed named the firefighter as Jassim Eissa Al-Baloushi in a message posted to his official Twitter account on Wednesday night. He asked God to comfort the dead first responder’s family.
Sheikh Mohammed, who also serves as the prime minister and vice president of the UAE, wrote that Emiratis should be proud of Al-Baloushi’s sacrifice while “performing his duty in protecting life and saving people.”
The accident Wednesday happened as Flight EK521, a Boeing 777, was arriving from the southern Indian city of Thiruvananthapuram. There were 300 people on board the aircraft at the time, all of whom escaped the burning plane.
Al Maktoum told a news conference on Wednesday night that 10 people were hospitalized after the incident at Dubai International Airport earlier in the day.
The accident happened as Flight EK521, a Boeing 777, was arriving from the southern Indian city of Thiruvananthapuram.
The Dubai Media Office said departure and arrival operations have resumed at the airport a little before 7 p.m., after several hours of delays caused by the crash.
The airport is the busiest air hub in the world in terms of international passenger traffic.