Image copyright Reuters Image caption Video footage has emerged showing a ball of flame where the helicopter crashed

A rescue helicopter has crashed near the world's longest zipline in the UAE, killing its crew.

The Agusta 139 helicopter was on a rescue mission at Jebel Jais, a mountain in the Ras al-Khaimah emirate, when it came down on Saturday.

The country's National Search and Rescue Centre said four people had died.

Video footage has emerged showing the helicopter in a tailspin and on fire on the mountainside.

Local newspaper The National reports that it hit a cable before spiralling out of control.

Tourism authorities told local media they could not comment on the matter while an investigation. ordered by Sheikh Saud bin Saqr al-Qasimi, the ruler of Ras al-Khaimah, was ongoing.

The National Search and Rescue Centre said pilots Saqr Saeed Mohamed Abdullah al-Yamahi and Hameed Mohamed Obaid al-Zaabi, were among the victims.

Navigator Jasim Abdullah Ali Tunaiji and paramedic Mark Roxburgh also lost their lives.

Image copyright Reuters Image caption Shocked witnesses saw the helicopter fall to earth

Mr Roxburgh, a South African, is said to have described himself as a "single dad" to a young child on social media.

"As long as I can remember my dad taught me about self-sacrifice in the service of those in need," he wrote on his Facebook profile.

Social media were filled with tributes to the men as the news emerged, with many Emiratis offering condolences to loved ones.

The world's longest zipline opened at Jebel Jais in February.

Toroverde, which runs the 2.83km (1.76 mile-long) adventure experience, confirmed it was closed in a statement online.

"Toroverde Ras al-Khaimah regrets to report that there has been a very serious incident on the mountain, and due to this incident, Jebel Jais Mountain Park and access road have been closed until further notice, in order to give the emergency services the access they need," the company said.

"All the world's longest zipline's flights are cancelled until further notice and we will be in direct contact with all our customers by phone immediately."</s>By The Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A rescue helicopter crashed on Saturday near the world’s longest zipline, killing its entire crew in Ras al-Khaimah in the northeastern region of the United Arab Emirates. The National…

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A rescue helicopter crashed on Saturday near the world’s longest zipline, killing its entire crew in Ras al-Khaimah in the northeastern region of the United Arab Emirates.

The National Search and Rescue Center said four crew members were onboard when the helicopter crashed.

The Civil Aviation Authority said the Agusta 139 helicopter crashed during a rescue mission at around 5:50 p.m. local time on Saturday near the UAE’s highest mountain of Jebel Jais in Ras al-Khaimah.

Videos posted online by stunned onlookers show the helicopter diving into a tailspin before crashing and bursting into flames in the valley of a rocky mountain

Ras al-Khaimah’s ruler Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi ordered an immediate investigation into the crash, which occurred near the site of the world’s longest zip line measuring 2.83 kilometers (1.76 miles) long.

The zipline opened in February as part of an effort by the smaller, lesser-known emirate of Ras al-Khaimah to attract more tourists and residents from neighboring emirates like Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Copyright © 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.</s>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A rescue helicopter has crashed near the world's longest zipline, killing its entire crew in Ras al-Khaimah in the northeastern area of the United Arab Emirates.

The state-run WAM news agency says the crash took place during a rescue mission at around 5:50 p.m. local time on Saturday. Officials did not immediately release a death toll.

Videos posted online show the helicopter diving into a tailspin before crashing and bursting into flames in the valley of a rocky mountain.

Ras al-Khaimah's ruler Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi ordered an immediate investigation into the crash, which occurred near the site of the world's longest zip line measuring 2.83 kilometers (1.76 miles).

The zipline, located at the UAE's highest mountain in Jebel Jais, opened in February.</s>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A rescue helicopter crashed on Saturday near the world’s longest zipline, killing its entire crew in Ras al-Khaimah in the northeastern region of the United Arab Emirates.

The National Search and Rescue Center said four crew members were onboard when the helicopter crashed.

The Civil Aviation Authority said the Agusta 139 helicopter crashed during a rescue mission at around 5:50 p.m. local time on Saturday near the UAE’s highest mountain of Jebel Jais in Ras al-Khaimah.

Videos posted online by stunned onlookers show the helicopter diving into a tailspin before crashing and bursting into flames in the valley of a rocky mountain

Ras al-Khaimah’s ruler Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi ordered an immediate investigation into the crash, which occurred near the site of the world’s longest zip line measuring 2.83 kilometres (1.76 miles) long.

The zipline opened in February as part of an effort by the smaller, lesser-known emirate of Ras al-Khaimah to attract more tourists and residents from neighbouring emirates like Abu Dhabi and Dubai.</s>Four dead after rescue helicopter 'clips world's longest zipline' in United Arab Emirates crash

A rescue helicopter has crashed after clipping the world's longest zipline, killing its entire crew in Ras al-Khaimah in the north-eastern region of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to local media.

The National Search and Rescue Centre said four crew members were onboard the helicopter when it crashed on Saturday on the UAE's highest mountain, Jebel Jais, which is 1,934 metres high at its peak.

According to Arab News, the dead included three Emiratis and a fourth foreigner.

The Civil Aviation Authority confirmed the Agusta 139 helicopter crashed during a rescue mission about 5:50pm (local time).

A top official told Gulf News the helicopter struck the world's longest zipline cable — which spans 2.83 kilometres — in the crash.

The incident occurred before the helicopter reached the injured man it had set out to rescue.

Footage posted online by stunned onlookers shows the helicopter diving into a tailspin before crashing and bursting into flames in the valley of Jebel Jais.

Ras al-Khaimah's ruler, Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, has ordered an immediate investigation into the incident.

Arab News reported the ruler requested "a comprehensive investigation of the security and safety requirements in place to determine the cause of this painful incident".

The Jebel Jais zipline opened in February as part of an effort by the smaller, lesser-known emirate of Ras al-Khaimah to attract more tourists and residents from neighbouring emirates including Abu Dhabi and Dubai.</s>The Western Journal has not reviewed this Associated Press story prior to publication. Therefore, it may contain editorial bias or may in some other way not meet our normal editorial standards. It is provided to our readers as a service from The Western Journal.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A rescue helicopter has crashed near the world’s longest zipline, killing its entire crew in Ras al-Khaimah in the northeastern area of the United Arab Emirates.

The state-run WAM news agency says the crash took place during a rescue mission at around 5:50 p.m. local time on Saturday. Officials did not immediately release a death toll.

Videos posted online show the helicopter diving into a tailspin before crashing and bursting into flames in the valley of a rocky mountain.

Ras al-Khaimah’s ruler Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi ordered an immediate investigation into the crash, which occurred near the site of the world’s longest zip line measuring 2.83 kilometers (1.76 miles).

The zipline, located at the UAE’s highest mountain in Jebel Jais, opened in February.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.</s>A rescue helicopter has crashed near the world’s longest zip line, killing its entire crew, in Ras al-Khaimah in the north-east of the United Arab Emirates.

The state-run WAM news agency says the crash took place during a rescue mission at around 5.50pm local time on Saturday. Officials did not immediately release a death toll.

Videos posted online show the helicopter diving into a tailspin before crashing and bursting into flames in the valley of a rocky mountain.

Ras al-Khaimah’s ruler, Sheikh Saud bin Saqr al-Qasimi, ordered an immediate investigation into the crash. The zip line, the world’s longest at 2.83km, is located at the UAE’s highest mountain in Jebel Jais and opened in February.</s>Authorities in the United Arab Emirates said that a rescue helicopter crashed in Ras Al Khaimah on Saturday, killing all the crew members.

The plane was on a rescue mission in the Jebel Jais mountainous area in Ras Al Khaimah, the country's General Civil Aviation Authority said.

No details were given on the cause of the crash or the number of dead.

The ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, one of the seven emirates that make up the UAE, ordered an investigation into the crash.</s>DUBAI: A rescue helicopter crashed on Saturday near the world’s longest zip line in the emirate of Ras Al-Khaimah, killing all crew members, the United Arab Emirates state news agency WAM said.

Sheikh Saud bin Saqr al-Qasimi, ruler of Ras Al-Khaimah, ordered an investigation into the incident that took place at 5:50 pm (1350 GMT).

“The General Civil Aviation Authority announced the crash of an Agusta 139 helicopter during a rescue mission in Jebel Jais in Ras al-Khaimah,” said the report.

The UAE’s National Search and Rescue Centre said there were four people on board.

Videos posted online show the helicopter diving into a tailspin before crashing and bursting into flames in the valley of a rocky mountain.

The UAE comprises the emirates of Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al-Qaiwain.</s>Four people have been killed after a rescue helicopter reportedly clipped a cable of the world's longest zip line in the UAE.

Dramatic footage shows the doomed helicopter spinning out of control next to the Jebel Jais mountain in Ras Al-Khaimah before bursting into flames.

The victims include three Emiratis and another man whose nationality has not yet been confirmed.

According to local media, three bodies have been recovered and the search for the fourth crew member, a medic, is still underway.

The men were on their way to rescue a person in the mountains but crashed before they reached them.

Eyewitness Salam Naif told Khaleej Times: "The chopper went into a spin all of a sudden and then crashed into the mountain. It burst into a ball of fire."

An official added: “The accident happened at 5:50pm on Saturday and the helicopter was on a mission to airlift an injured man from Jebel Jais.

"The helicopter crashed before reaching the man.”

An official at Saqr hospital confirmed to Gulf News that they received one injured man, an Indian, who sustained injuries while he was on Jebel Jais.

Haitham Mattar, from the tourism development authority, told the publication: ”We learned of the helicopter accident on Jebel Jais Mountain and can assure everyone that there were no injuries to any of the public on Jebel Jais, our team or the facilities on the mountain."

The RAK Tourism Development Authority also confirmed visitors were safe.

A spokesman said: "The tragic chopper collision took place 50 minutes after the closure of the zipline."

Meanwhile, the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) said the chopper was a Agusta 139 helicopter.

Ruler Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al-Qasimi has also ordered an urgent investigation into the crash.

He also ordered "a comprehensive investigation of the security and safety requirements in place to determine the cause of this painful incident," WAM reported.

The zip line on top of Jebel Jais mountain, the UAE’s highest peak, which the helicopter is thought to have crashed into is 2,800 metres - equivalent to 28 football fields.

It officially opened in February and can reach speeds of 93mph.
A rescue helicopter crashes near the world's longest zipline in the United Arab Emirates, killing four people.