RAK Rugby extended “its sincerest condolences” after former player Mark Roxburgh was among four crew members who lost their lives at the weekend when a rescue helicopter crashed into Ras Al Khaimah’s Jebel Jais mountain.
Roxburgh, a flight paramedic, was on board when Agusta 139 hit a zipline at about 18:30 on Saturday, went into a spin and burst into flames upon impact with the ground. Jebel Jais, the highest mountain in the UAE, is home to the world’s longest zipline, which has now cancelled all flights “until further notice”.
The three deceased Emirati crew were identified as pilots Hameed Mohamed Obaid AlZa’abi and Saqr Saeed Mohamed Abdullah AlYamahi, plus navigator Jasim Abdullah Ali Tunaiji.
“It is with great sadness that we report that Mark Roxburgh, a former RAK Goats player, tragically lost his life yesterday while performing his duties as a helicopter paramedic,” the UAE Community League-outfit posted on their Facebook page on Sunday. “He leaves behind a young daughter and family in his native South Africa.
“RAK Rugby extends its sincerest condolences to his family and extended friends in RAK, as well as the families of the three Emirati crew. RIP Mark. Goats on 3!”
This is the second time in a year that RAK have been struck by tragedy. In April, player Nick Young passed away several days after he was left in a very serious condition following a tackle at the season-ending Sharjah 10s Rugby tournament.
Young was believed to be in his 40s.
