Moments after being lost and stranded, phone batteries eventually dying, and their car running out of fuel, the two found themselves stranded with no food or water. Despite their best efforts to survive the harsh desert, they sadly couldn’t make it and succumbed to starvation and dehydration. Khan and his Sudanese colleague had been working in Saudi Arabia for three years with a telecom company.

The Rub’ Al Khali, also known as the Empty Quarter, is the world’s largest sand desert, stretching across Saudi Arabia and beyond. It’s a vast, unforgiving landscape with scorching temperatures and almost no rainfall, making it one of the harshest environments on the planet. Saudi authorities constantly warn people to steer clear of the area, especially during extreme heat. If you must venture into the desert, they stress the importance of being fully prepared for the brutal conditions, with plenty of supplies and reliable equipment.