The Vice President of the UAE has paid his respects to the families of two pilots who died last week during military exercises in Cairo.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid on Sunday visited the families of First Lt Pilot Saif Khalaf Saif Al Zaabi and First Lt Pilot Abdullah Ali Al Hamoudi, who were killed when their plane crashed during a joint UAE-Egypt military exercise. Two Egyptians also died.
The Vice President was joined by the Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, and other officials.
Sheikh Mohammed emphasised that male and female UAE nationals are “prepared to sacrifice their lives for the sake of their country’s independence, glory and pride”, the state news agency Wam reported.
Al Zaabi and Al Hamoudi were buried in their respective emirates - Sharjah and Fujairah - on Friday.
Their families paid thanks for the visits and reiterated the pride they felt for the pilots.
Condolences were also passed on to the families of the two Egyptian men, the state news agency Wam reported.
Mohammed Al Dhaheri, the UAE Ambassador to Egypt, passed on the condolences of the President, Sheikh Khalifa, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, and other dignitaries during a visit to the family of Egyptian Air Force Captain Ibrahim Ali Al Haddad.
Lt Col Ahmed Fouda of the Egyptian Armed Forces accompanied the UAE delegation during the visit to the family home, in Shaiba.
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