Dubai/Muscat: A British national of Pakistani origin died from heat exposure and dehydration while hiking on an Omani mountainside along the UAE border on Saturday, Royal Oman Police (ROP) said.
UAE resident Bushra Farooqui succumbed to the elements after she inexplicably broke away from her 12-member hiking party and could not be located by Omani search and rescue parties.
The tragic hiking death is the first in Oman in a decade.
The body of the established businesswoman and charity volunteer living in Dubai will be repatriated to Pakistan.
Pakistani Consulate officials in Dubai said on Tuesday they were working with the woman’s family to release her body from Oman for funeral services in her home country.
Bushra was the sister of a Pakistani Foreign Office official now stationed in Turkey.
In a statement, the British Embassy in Oman said: “The embassy is aware that, sadly, a British national died whilst on a hiking trip in Oman. The embassy is working closely with the Royal Oman Police and is offering consular assistance to the family.”
It’s not clear how Bushra separated from her hiking party, but expert hikers say the trails in the area are difficult to navigate and fraught with danger.
Bushra and her party were hiking in the Wadi Al Sameenah mountain of Mahda province, police said.
Police, meanwhile, told Gulf News that the woman was among 12 tourists who entered Oman from the Buraimi border, neighbouring Al Ain.
The Royal Oman Police (ROP) said they received a call for assistance from a hiker who said his party was lost in the mountain wilds and could not find their way out.
Search and rescue teams were able to locate seven of the eight lost hikers shortly before 5pm, including a child. Three others were located alive later in the evening.
All the rest were reported to be in stable condition as of press time on Tuesday.
Oman’s Ministry of Tourism affirmed that the area where Bushra’s body was found is not an approved trekking spot.
An official at the Ministry of Tourism told Gulf News that there is no trekking guidance and no signs in Al Sameenah mountain and that it lacks international trekking standards.
“The incident which occurred in Wadi Sameenah near Mahda in Buraimi governorate resulted in the death of one of the tourists. This was not an authorised hiking trip as per the standards set by the ministry,” the ministry told Omani media in a statement.
Free guidance books and brochures are offered to tourists to guide them on hiking and trekking spots in Oman with routes, said the official. The official called on tourists to abide by the rules for the sake of their own safety.
Bushra was also a philanthropist as evidenced by her founding of the NGO ‘Inspire Initiative Ltd – for the love of mountains’ on April 13, 2014, a charity focused on supporting primary education in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan.
A tribute on Facebook said: “One tracking [sic] trip inspired her to spread the light of education in the remotest mountains and valleys and another tracking [sic] trip took away her very self ... Oh how will we get over this loss of a star sister... my heart my sister Bushra ... Did so much for others in her short life... Will be missed forever. She is an inspiration for a multitude!!”
Pete Aldwinokle, general manager of Global Climbing in Dubai and a 30-year veteran hiker, said word of Bushra’s death has circulated through the UAE hiking community.
He said he couldn’t speak of Bushra’s death specifically but in general said that anyone who believes hiking is a walk in the park needs a reality check.
Hiking enthusiasts need to be prepared before they enter the harsh climate and rough terrain of the Arabian Peninsula to avert potential calamity, he added.
“I do urge people to be honest about their capabilities and do not underestimate the demands of the terrain and weather in this region. It is very savage countryside,” Aldwinokle said. “The terrain is very unforgiving from the time you leave your car. The rocks are sharp and the paths are unmarked.”
Ahmad Al Badri, a trekking expert, told Gulf News that knowing the trekking route is a must before going.
Enough water, food, trekking shoes and a phone help, he added.
She wanted to help so many people, sister says
Bushra’s sister Aisha Farooqui, deputy chief of mission at Pakistan’s embassy in Ankara, said her sister was an avid trekker and mountaineer who took on peaks such as Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and Mount Ararat in Turkey.
“Bushra was a deeply loved sister, daughter and friend. She had a wide circle of friends in the UAE and Pakistan and led a rich and diverse life not just as a banker, but as a mountaineer and humanitarian,” Aisha said.
“I was devastated not only because she was my sister but because she was a great human being who had many goals and plans. She wanted to do so much. She wanted to help so many people through her charity. It is a loss for all the children she could have helped.”
Aisha is trying to complete formalities to bring her sister’s body back to Pakistan as soon as possible. “My parents are waiting anxiously ... every day that passes is painful for them,”she said.
Aisha wanted to thank friends and families for their prayers, which poured in the moment they learned that Bushra has passed away.
“Although we can’t fill the void that she left in our lives. We want to try to continue her legacy in education by taking after her charity. We feel obligated to do so,” Aisha said.
— With inputs by Noor Nazzal, Staff Reporter
