Dubai, United Arab Emirates— An off-road vehicle carrying two men rolled multiple times on a high dune in the Al Qudra desert late Monday afternoon, killing the driver and leaving his passenger critically injured 25 kilometers from the nearest paved road.
The pair, both expatriates, were driving a modified Toyota Land Cruiser on a popular dune bashing track when the vehicle crested a sharp ridge at speed. The front wheels dropped, the rear lifted, and the SUV tumbled down the slip face, landing on its roof. Neither was wearing a seatbelt, according to police.
Dubai Police desert rescue unit reached the site by helicopter after a distress call from another convoy that witnessed the crash. The driver, 34, was found pinned under the roof and declared dead at the scene. The passenger, 29, suffered head trauma and multiple fractures and was airlifted to Rashid Hospital.
"The dune looked small from the top. Speed was high. The car went nose first and rolled. We could not lift it without a winch," said a member of the second convoy who filmed the aftermath and called 998.
The Al Qudra and Lahbab desert areas draw thousands of weekend drivers for off-roading. Accidents spike in cooler months. Police said rollovers are often caused by deflated tires, high speed, and lack of roll cages in modified vehicles.
"People remove roof bars to look better for photos. They don’t wear belts because sand is soft. Soft sand does not save you when a two-ton car rolls," Lt. Colonel Ahmed Al Muhairi of Dubai Police Rescue said.
The vehicle was impounded for mechanical inspection. Officers will check tire pressure logs and whether the electronic stability control had been disabled, a common practice among desert drivers.
Dubai Municipality has installed warning signs and designated safer dune corridors, but enforcement is difficult across vast open desert. Tour operators are licensed and must use roll cages, but private drivers are not subject to same rules.
The injured passenger remains in ICU. His family has been notified.
Police will submit the case to the public prosecution after the forensic report, and may recommend charges for reckless driving if evidence shows willful risk.
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