Air crash mock drill at Sharjah International Airport

Simulating the crash landing and fire on board of an airplane that carried 160 passengers at the Sharjah International Airport, the authorities tested on Wednesday, the preparedness of the airport to respond to emergencies. A good number of persons from the Airport staff, University of Sharjah, Sharjah Police Command, Air Arabia, Emirates Airlines, various hospitals, civil defence and other agencies volunteered to conduct the mock drill which was enacted under the supervision of the Sharjah Civil Aviation Department and Sharjah Airport Authority. Chairman of the Sharjah Civil Aviation Department Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Thani, Chairman of the Ruler's Court Sheikh Esam bin Saqr Al Qasimi and a number of senior officials witnessed the drill. Director General of the Sharjah Civil Aviation Department Sheikh Khalid bin Esam Al Qasimi stressed that the Department of Civil Aviation was keen to implement the exercise in accordance with the highest international standards and the intensive preparations. "This called for holding a number of coordination meetings with all the parties participating in the exercise and stress the roles designated to each of them", he said. "The exercise also demonstrated the readiness of the airport and its new 4-km runway in receiving large aircrafts such as A380 Boeing 747-800. Sharjah International Airport is the first airport in the UAE to implement procedures to increase safety on the runway", Sheikh Khalid added.