Philippines’ defense department team to investigate case of missing Saudi student pilot

Missing Saudi student pilot Abdullah Khalid Al-Sharif
Updated 07 July 2019
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Philippines’ defense department team to investigate case of missing Saudi student pilot

  • 23-year-old Abdullah Khalid Al-Sharif and his instructor went missing while on a training flight in the central Philippines

MANILA: The Philippines’ Department of National Defense (DND) said on Friday that it will conduct a separate investigation into the case of a Saudi aviation student who went missing while on a training flight in Occidental Mindoro.

This was upon the request of Saudi Ambassador to the Philippines Dr. Abdullah Al-Bussairy.

“We are doing our own (investigation),” Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said in an interview on the sidelines of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) 45th anniversary photo exhibit and commemorative event titled “Snapshots of History” at The Gallery in Makati City.

Lorenzana was referring to the case of 23-year-old Abdullah Khalid Al-Sharif, who disappeared along with his flying instructor Capt. Jose Nelson Yapparcon on May 17.

“I had a meeting with the Saudi ambassador last week, the reason being that according to him they were able to uncover some documents that may help in bringing closure to the accident,” Lorenzana said.

“The Saudi national is a student, he was with a pilot (instructor), there’s two of them and the plane is somewhere in the coast off Mindoro (Occidental). Nothing was recovered, not even the plane or anything,” he added.

On speculation that Al-Sharif could be a victim of kidnapping, the defense chief said that that was one of the theories raised by the Saudi envoy.

“That is why they want another investigation aside from the official one to bring closure to the accident,” Lorenzana said.

The Saudi ambassador, Lorenzana said, “wanted the DND to conduct another investigation using these documents to ascertain what really happened to that ill-fated trainer plane so that the family of the student pilot can put closure to this case.”

 

 


Red Sea Global unveils scientific model for regenerative tourism worldwide

Updated 45 min 58 sec ago
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Red Sea Global unveils scientific model for regenerative tourism worldwide

  • The report details the model’s rollout at “The Red Sea” and “AMAALA” destinations, backed by studies covering 8 marine habitats

TABUK: Red Sea Global (RSG) has unveiled a science-based model aimed at achieving a 30 percent net positive conservation benefit across its tourism destinations by 2040. 

The framework is now available for global adoption, according to a statement released by RSG.

Owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), Red Sea Global is the multi-project developer behind ambitious regenerative tourism destinations like “The Red Sea” and “AMAALA.” 

As a cornerstone of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, the company aims to diversify the national economy while setting new global benchmarks for sustainable, nature-positive development.

CEO John Pagano stated that openly sharing this detailed approach will help elevate the global tourism sector and secure a healthier environment for future generations.
 

Map showing the boundaries of the Red Sea Zone. (Graphic from the RSG report)

The cornerstone of this initiative is the proprietary SIIG Model, a four-step framework:
• Survey: Establish biodiversity baselines and monitor long-term changes.
• Identify: Assess risks to priority habitats and species.
• Intervene: Execute evidence-based actions, such as regulating fishing and enhancing natural habitats.
• Gain: Measure and verify biodiversity improvements.

The report details the model’s rollout at “The Red Sea” and “AMAALA” destinations, backed by extensive 2022–2023 environmental baseline studies covering eight marine habitats and priority species groups during 2022 and 2023. 

A major intervention is the 5,015-square-kilometer Fishery Management Area in Al-Wajh Lagoon. The plan reserves 38 percent of the area for priority conservation—protecting 62 percent of local coral reefs—while allocating 61 percent for sustainable fishing.

According to scientific modeling, eliminating fishing in high-protection zones could increase reef fish populations by 113 percent, sharks and rays by 72 percent, and marine mammals by 24 percent. These measures are expected to boost coral resilience, support ecosystem recovery, and protect vulnerable species like sea turtles and seabirds.
Ihab Kindi, RSG’s Red Sea Destination Executive Director, called the data-driven model a practical roadmap for large-scale marine recovery. The complete methodology is available in the new report, “The SIIG Model: A Roadmap Toward Achieving Measurable Conservation Gains.”