Fathers, newlywed among victims
All the victims were kitchen stewards working at Atlantis on a sub-contract from Transguard, Jasem Uddin said. They included young fathers and at least one newly married man.
“Our duty ends at 7am and the bus picks us at by 7.45am. The accident happened around 8.15am, I think. I can’t thank God enough for saving me for my family. My wife is pregnant. It is my baby’s luck perhaps,” Jasem said.
He said the wife of Taher, one of the deceased, is also expecting. “He has an elder child. He came back after vacation only three months ago and had told us that his wife is pregnant.”
Another victim, Sarwar, had just got married. “He came back just two months back after his wedding. I cannot think of all their families,” Jasim said in a choked voice.
His colleagues at the labour accommodation are also in a state of shock, according to a Transguard employee. “This is the biggest tragedy in our company’s history. We are doing our best to support all of them,” he said.
In a statement to Gulf News, a Transguard spokesperson said: “It has been an extremely emotional time for everybody, including Transguard employees, their relatives and friends. Our support teams are working tirelessly — counselling, notifying next of kin, coordinating with doctors and nurses, arranging visits, passing on personal messages as well as offering medical updates.”