Tony Land, who survived a life-threatening emergency following a serious crash during the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, said the search and rescue team who came to his aid was the best in the world.
“The medical team convinced me that I would be OK through their calmness and effectiveness and hence there was no reason for me to panic, even though I was in bad shape,” Land said.
Land, from Sweden, was injured when he fell off his motorcycle during the penultimate stage of the Desert Challenge on April 1. The medical team arrived at the scene within 12 minutes, and evacuated the injured rider by helicopter to Madinat Zayed hospital.
“Very quickly his blood pressure started to drop,” said Dr Sean Petherbridge, chief medical officer of the Automobile and Touring Club UAE. “He was in a critical condition at this point and a decision was made to transfer him immediately by helicopter to the trauma unit at Mafraq Hospital in Abu Dhabi.”
Now recuperating at home in Sweden, Land has praised the search and rescue team in an email to Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of ATCUAE, organisers of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.
“I have, unwillingly, tested the rally’s search and rescue team and their process and I can only state that they came out with the highest possible approval rating in the world,” Land said.
After recently being released from hospital, he expects to make a full recovery and hopes to be back on a bike early next month.
“Next time I’m out there riding the Desert Challenge I will do it with even more confidence because I know I am in very good and competent hands if something goes wrong,” Land said.
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