A newspaper clipping  Catastrophes, Crashes and Crimes in the UAE by Dr Athol Yates (Courtesy: Medina Publishing)
A newspaper clipping Catastrophes, Crashes and Crimes in the UAE by Dr Athol Yates (Courtesy: Medina Publishing)

Book review: UFOs, hijackings and threats from the 1970s surface in Catastrophes, Crashes and Crimes in the UAE



The United Arab Emirates has been spared the devastation of conflict at home. Our earthquakes are mild, our shores are not swamped by tsunamis, major epidemics generally pass us by. However, this country, like any other, needs to be equipped to deal with the challenges to what can be described as our “civil security” that are posed by natural disasters or man-made events.

A couple of years ago, Athol Yates, a professor at Khalifa University, began to collect information on past threats to our civil society so he could teach his students about them. Finding little available in the way of academic studies, Yates and a few helpers turned to the files of old newspapers. The result is a fascinating book focusing on the 1970s and titled Catastrophes, Crashes and Crimes in the UAE.

Now available for the general public, the book reproduces a selection of original stories taken from now-defunct publications such as Gulf Weekly Mirror, which was based in Bahrain and, later, Dubai. Other stories are from Abu Dhabi News, which was based in the capital and was founded before the Federation. It later became UAE News and, later still, Emirates News, of which I was managing editor from 1985 to 1999.

For old-timers, the book will bring back memories. And for those who can’t remember as far back as the 1970s, there is much that sheds light on the way things were.

One highlight are the five hijacking dramas in Dubai in July 1973, December 1973, November 1974, June 1977 and October 1977. In several, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid played a leading role, being described in an October 1977 headline as the “Cool man on the hot line”.

Another story, from October 1977, covers the shocking assassination of the UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Saif Ghobash, at Abu Dhabi Airport.

Also well-covered is Iran's occupation of the islands of Greater and Lesser Tunb in November 1971, just before the federation was established. Abu Dhabi News led its story with the paragraph: "Iran's invasion of the two tiny Gulf islands of Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb cast a dark shadow over the official formation of the Union of Arab Emirates." More than 45 years later, the occupation continues.

Earthquakes, cyclones and floods? There are a plethora of those, including the “worst ever storm” in February 1974, when the sea wall on Abu Dhabi’s Corniche was breached. Power cuts were common: in August 1975, more than half of Dubai was blacked out for hours because of a fire in the main power station.

Maritime incidents? In September 1972, 70 people were rescued from a sinking dhow near the Umm Shaif oilfield. In July 1978, five people drowned off Ras Al Khaimah on their way to a wedding.

Moving on to hotel fires, one in April 1976 at the long-­vanished Omar Khayyam Hotel in Abu Dhabi saw seven people die when an illegally built roof extension caught fire. Tough new fire precautions were promptly introduced.

Reports of crimes are there in abundance. In October 1972, 15 people were convicted of begging during Ramadan, while in June 1974 there were reports of forged Dh50 currency notes. In December 1974, a bank clerk in Khor Fakkan tried to carry out an armed robbery of his own branch, eventually committing suicide when the attempt failed.

In February 1976, the Gulf Weekly Mirror reported that a "passport scandal" had prompted "a big illegal immigration clampdown". At that time, visitors with a return air ticket could deposit their passports on arrival and obtain a 96-hour transit visa. The paper reported that "the number of unclaimed passports collected during the past year puts the figure at nearly 50,000." Back then the total population was less than 625,000.

In September 1976, an attempt to smuggle about 1,200 illegal immigrants into the UAE ended in tragedy when more than 170 drowned.

In December 1978, there were reports of a UFO in Dubai, which was tracked by a police car and a patrol boat before disappearing. Whether or not it was the same one allegedly seen over Sharjah a couple of months later was never resolved.

In August 1976, a campaign to eradicate malaria was to be launched. It was successful: all cases today are of people who arrive in the country already infected with the disease. In April 1978, it was announced that the UAE was free of smallpox.

All this and more is contained in Yates’s compilation of the Catastrophes, Crashes and Crimes from yesteryears. It’s a fascinating read whether or not you believe UFOs have ever scouted Sharjah.

Peter Hellyer is a consultant specialising in the UAE’s history and culture.

The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Power: 510hp at 9,000rpm
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Price: From Dh801,800
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
MATCH INFO

Manchester United 1 (Greenwood 77')

Everton 1 (Lindelof 36' og)

Company%20Profile
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Surianah's top five jazz artists

Billie Holliday: for the burn and also the way she told stories.  

Thelonius Monk: for his earnestness.

Duke Ellington: for his edge and spirituality.

Louis Armstrong: his legacy is undeniable. He is considered as one of the most revolutionary and influential musicians.

Terence Blanchard: very political - a lot of jazz musicians are making protest music right now.

Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
The specs

Price, base / as tested Dh1,470,000 (est)
Engine 6.9-litre twin-turbo W12
Gearbox eight-speed automatic
Power 626bhp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 900Nm @ 1,350rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.0L / 100km

Things Heard & Seen

Directed by: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini

Starring: Amanda Seyfried, James Norton

2/5

Profile of Udrive

Date started: March 2016

Founder: Hasib Khan

Based: Dubai

Employees: 40

Amount raised (to date): $3.25m – $750,000 seed funding in 2017 and a Seed round of $2.5m last year. Raised $1.3m from Eureeca investors in January 2021 as part of a Series A round with a $5m target.

The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

How to donate

Text the following numbers:

2289 - Dh10

6025 - Dh 20

2252 - Dh 50

2208 - Dh 100

6020 - Dh 200 

*numbers work for both Etisalat and du

FIXTURES

All kick-off times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Brackets denote aggregate score

Tuesday:
Roma (1) v Shakhtar Donetsk (2), 11.45pm
Manchester United (0) v Sevilla (0), 11.45pm

Wednesday:
Besiktas (0) v Bayern Munich (5), 9pm
Barcelona (1) v Chelsea (1), 11.45pm

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

How to avoid crypto fraud
  • Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
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Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
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  • Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
Dubai Bling season three

Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

Rating: 1/5

The specs

Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now