Bus accident
“We are waiting for the AdamThumrait highway and other such highways and perhaps more lanes in the track, because that will help reduce the number of accidents on that road.”
Amna Al Balushi, a Municipal Council member from Seeb said that it was time that an action needed to be taken, “The number of road accidents has increased tremendously and a solution needs to be brought in.
“The government can probably introduce more modes of safer public transport and give training and workshops to the drivers and also educate children on road safety from a young age. I feel strongly for this.” Warith Al Harrasi, someone who regularly travels to Salalah by road said, “This is shocking, two accidents within a month is terrible but I am not surprised. I normally drive to and from Salalah, but I once tried the bus.
“There is only one track in most parts, so I think they really need to be careful especially at night when the visibility is so low and there is hardly any space.”
Other drivers also said that single-lane road stretch is risky for driving. “Even a small mistake can lead to disaster on these roads, there is always an accident waiting to happen on that road,” a motorist said.
Manpreet Singh, Chairman of the Indian Social Club in Salalah, said, “We need double tracks on the Salalah- Muscat road for safer travel, and the drivers need to rest adequately, because it’s not a matter of their lives only but the lives of so many other passengers.”
An official from one of the two transport companies whose bus was involved in the crash told the Times of Oman that investigations were on, “Investigation are underway on the crash, today we have scheduled the buses to leave at 3pm and they will reach Dubai tomorrow, so our buses are going as per normal schedule, the time table has not been affected.”
The Ministry of Health also released a statement saying said that their emergency and medical response plan had been activated.
Nizwa Hospital received victims from the accident after they were treated at a hospital in Adam. These include the two victims, who died, with 12 still being treated for injuries and one in intensive care, while seven more were discharged. A source at Nizwa Hospital said that two people were dead and 20 injured, “Two people died and 20 were injured, some of the injured were shifted to Royal Hospital and some to the Khoula Hospital, and also to other hospitals.”
A hospital in Haima is currently treating five more victims, who are said to be in a stable condition. One more patient is currently at the hospital in Adam.