The number of Indians who died in Thursday’s bus accident in Dubai has gone up to 12, the consul-general of India in the United Arab Emirates city said on Friday.
Five other people were also killed and nine seriously injured when the driver of the Muscat-to-Dubai route bus entered a road not meant for buses towards Al Rashidiya Metro station in Dubai on Thursday evening. The bus belonged to Omani government’s transport company Mwasalat.
According to the Gulf News, the bus carrying 31 passengers crashed into a height barrier that damaged the left side of the vehicle killing and the passengers sitting on that side. Police in Dubai said the number of dead could increase further as some of the bodies are yet to be identified, PTI reported.
“With great sadness we inform that Indian fatalities in Dubai bus accident has gone up to 12. Our officers are at Rashidiya police station and mortuary to extend all assistance (sic),” Vipul, who uses one name, said on Twitter.
“Our effort now is to get formalities completed soon so that mortal remains can be repatriated soon,” he wrote.
External affairs minister S Jaishankar also tweeted his condolence to the families of those who were killed in the accident.
“Deeply grieved by the unfortunate bus accident in Dubai that has claimed 12 Indian lives. My sincere condolences to the families. Our Consulate @cgidubai is extending all help,” Jaishankar posted.
The dead include Vikram Jawahar Thakur, Vimal Kumar Karthikeyan Kesavapilaikar, Kiran Johny Johny Vallithottathil Paily, Firoz Khan Aziz Pathan, Reshma Feroz Khan Pathan, Jamaludeen Arakkaveettil, Vasudev Vishandas, Rajan Puthiyapurayil Gopalan, Prabula Madhavan Deepa Kumar, Roshni Moolchandani, Ummer Chonokatavath Mammad Puthen, Nabil Ummer Chonokatavath.
The Indian consulate in Dubai had initially put the number of dead at six in the accident on Thursday evening but updated the toll later to eight and then 12.
“4 Indians were discharged after first aid and three are receiving treatment in Rashid hospital,” the consulate had tweeted earlier.
It also issued a helpline number – +971-565463903 – for the relatives to raise queries related to those travelling on the bus.
Police in Dubai had announced the death toll in tweets early on Friday.
Dubai Police also expressed their condolences.
“The General Directorate of Dubai Police extends its sincere condolences to the families of the deceased who were involved in a bus crash at Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, which killed 17 passengers,” they said, according to news agency PTI.
Mwasalat issued a statement on Twitter announcing the suspension of their daily services between Muscat and Dubai and vice versa, until further notice.
“Mwasalat family expresses its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and wishes a speedy recovery to the injured,” the company tweeted.