Leaving behind the cloudy skies of Salalah in the Dhofar Governorate, Gavril set off on the Salalah-Nizwah-Ibri-Dubai highway. However, as he and his wife, his brother and sister-in-law drove towards Dubai around 6:17 pm, they were suddenly caught in an unprecedented sandstorm. Speaking to Khaleej Times, he said, "This was the strongest sandstorm we've ever encountered, with powerful winds whipping up dust and reducing visibility to dangerous levels. At one point, driving became hazardous."