12 Indians among 17 killed in tragic bus accident in Dubai

Dubai, June 7 (PTI): Twelve Indians were among 17 people who were killed in a horrific road accident in Dubai when a bus, mostly with Eid vacationers coming from Oman, entered a restricted lane and rammed into a low-clearance sign, police and the Indian mission here said on Friday. Nine persons were also seriously injured when the driver of the bus coming from Oman's capital Muscat to Dubai, wrongly entered a road not designated for buses towards Al Rashidiya metro station here on Thursday evening. Dubai Police authorities said that there are still some unidentified bodies and the number of Indians who died in the accident could rise further. "With great sadness we inform that Indian fatalities in Dubai bus accident have gone up to 12," Vipul, Indian Consul General in Dubai, tweeted. He said that the embassy officials are at the Rashidiya police station and mortuary to extend all assistance to the families of the victims. "Our effort now is to get formalities completed soon so that mortal remains can be repatriated soon," he said. The bus, belonging to the Omani bus transport company Mwasalat, carrying 31 passengers, crashed into a height barrier that cut the left side of the bus and killed passengers sitting on that side, the Gulf News reported. Dubai Police blamed the Omani driver, who was moderately injured, for the accident, saying "at times a small mistake or negligence can lead to adverse consequences". Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar, now in Bhutan, expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased. The Consul General released a list of the Indians killed in the accident. Vipul said that officers from the consulate are taking all necessary steps to ensure repatriation formalities of all victims are completed as soon as possible. "Once death certificates are issued, the bodies will be sent for embalming and other procedures," he said.