Two UAE nationals lost their lives, and three others were injured in a car accident in Saudi Arabia, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) confirmed on Friday. The tragic incident occurred during their stay in Saudi Arabia.
The injured individuals were initially treated at King Khalid Hospital in Hail, Saudi Arabia. In coordination with Saudi authorities and the UAE National Search and Rescue Centre, an air ambulance was deployed to transport them to Sheikh Khalifa Medical City Hospital in the UAE for further treatment. The bodies of the deceased were also repatriated.
MoFA expressed gratitude to the Saudi authorities for their cooperation and assistance in ensuring the success of the air medical evacuation mission. Their efforts facilitated the safe transfer of the injured and the deceased back to the UAE.
Previous Incidents Highlight Growing Concerns
This is not the first fatal accident involving UAE residents in Saudi Arabia. In August 2023, a father and his four children died in a collision on the Makkah-Riyadh road while returning to Abu Dhabi after performing Umrah. Earlier in July 2023, a horrific crash on the Al Batha-Haradh highway claimed five lives and left eight others injured.
Road Safety a Growing Concern
These repeated tragedies have drawn attention to road safety concerns among UAE residents. According to the Lloyd’s Register Foundation World Risk Poll, road accidents are viewed as the top safety threat in the UAE, cited by 28% of respondents. This figure is more than double the number of those who expressed concerns about economic issues such as unemployment or rising living costs.
As road accidents continue to claim lives, the UAE community is emphasizing the importance of road safety measures both domestically and abroad.
