ABU DHABI // Survivors spoke of their grief and sadness on Monday after three of their friends died in a bus crash as they returned from an Umrah pilgrimage.
Ashraf Khanza and his family were among 60 passengers travelling on the Ghuweifat motorway on Saturday evening when the bus crashed and overturned. The father of three dozed off on the long journey from Mecca to Abu Dhabi – and woke up in hospital.
Mr Khanza’s wife and children also survived.
“I was asleep when it happened and opened my eyes in hospital,” he said. “It was shocking when I found myself there.
“But all thanks to Allah that my family is safe and had only minor injuries.”
The bus driver Abdul Latheef, 30, and passengers Kallarakkal Aboobacker, 46, and Kallarakkal Moulvi, 31, were killed. All were from Kerala. Six people, including a toddler, were seriously injured.
“I lost friends, and their family are traumatised,” said another passenger, Mohammed Firoz. “This is a very sad and tragic incident, as most of these people belong to my state, Kerala. About 28 of the 60 belonged to my village.
“This is very saddening for us because they were coming after performing the holy Umrah in Mecca.”
Mr Khanza, who is a driver, said Latheef had lost control and the bus hit a pole at the side of the motorway.
Toddler Simsarul Haq was injured and is at Abu Dhabi’s Mafraq Hospital, where his parents are also being treated. They have nine other children.
Most of the injured were discharged from the hospital but about 15 are still receiving treatment in Mafraq and Madinat Zayed, in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi, said Mr Firoz, who works for a Dubai hospital.
Mr Khanza, a community representative and social worker for Abu Dhabi Malayalee Samajam, a Malayalam community club, said six people were seriously injured.
Mafraq Hospital would not comment on the condition of its patients.
A preliminary report by Abu Dhabi Police said the accident was caused by excessive speed, neglect, exhaustion on the part of the driver and a burst tyre, which sent the bus into a swerve.
anwar@thenational.ae
* Additional reporting by Amna Ehtesham Khaishgi
