At least 21 dead in Al Ain crash
02:59PM Mon 4 Feb, 2013
[caption id="attachment_24898" align="aligncenter" width="475"] Image Credit: Courtesy Al-Ain Police Public Relations office
A scene from the accident[/caption] 4.30pm: Police confirm death toll
Image Credit: Courtesy Al-Ain Police Public Relations officeA scene from the accident[/caption] 4.30pm: Police confirm death toll
Police have confirmed the death toll as 22, with 24 injured.
4.20pm: ‘Workers choked in sand’
The massive truck involved in the accident was carrying sand and other construction material, and apparently swerved while on the highway.
It is still unclear whether the bus collided head on with the truck or skidded on the mound of sand and crashed. Witnesses said most workers died after suffocating in the pile of sand and construction material, but this could not be independently verified.
A worker who lives in accommodation near the site of the accident told Gulf News that police blocked the highway at 8am and dozens of fire-trucks, ambulances and police patrols were seen rushing towards Al Rawdah palace.
3.20pm: Helicopters deployed to crash site
The accident happened around 8am on the Al Ain-Abu Dhabi Truck Road, near Al Rawdah palace, according to eyewitnesses. The area is approximately 35km from downtown Al Ain.
The bus was carrying a total of 46 people.
The bodies of the workers have been transferred to Al Ain Hospital’s morgue, while the injured have been transferred to Al Ain, Al Tawam, Al Noor and NMC hospitals.
There was no confirmation on the fate of the bus and the truck drivers.
Al Ain police deployed helicopters to extract the injured workers covered under a pile of sand at the site of the horrific accident.
The arterial Truck Road has been blocked to traffic.
3pm: At least 21 dead in Al Ain bus crash
Al Ain: At least 21 people died and 25 others injured in an accident in Zakhir district this morning when a bus carrying cleaning workers reportedly collided with a truck.
The dead bodies have been moved to Al Ain Hospital, while the injured are being treated at different hospitals.
The bus was reportedly carrying cleaning workers from different companies.
Those killed included 20 Bangladeshi nationals and one Pakistani.
The police have cordoned off the area and rescue work is being done.
Photos
