UAE- Accident: Company says workers will be compensated

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Nine of the 13 killed in the accident were indian nationals while the others were from bangladesh.while drivers of the truck and the minibus that were involved in a fatal accident on saturday morning that killed 13 workers and injured several others are being questioned the company has assured that all the workers will be financially compensated.at about 6.25am on saturday a bus full of workers — mostly welders fabricators and fitters — from the bravo technical construction company owned by holland technical contracting services which has some five companies under the group were travelling from their accommodation in umm al quwain to their workplace in jebel ali when the bus slammed into the stationary truck.

nine of the dead were indian nationals while four were bangladeshis. eleven of the passengers died on the spot while two others died in hospital. earlier reports had placed the number of dead at 15. several others including the minibus driver who survived the crash received severe to moderate injuries and were taken to rashid and al baraha hospitals in dubai. at present four workers are still in hospital of which one bangladeshi is in the icu in a critical but stable condition.

a dubai health authority (dha) spokesperson said on sunday that 10 patients were received by the rashid hospital’s trauma and emergency centre on saturday.

of these six were discharged the same day. the remaining four are presently stable and undergoing treatment at the hospital. two of them have chest injuries one of them has been operated for a fractured arm and the fourth patient is being treated for spinal vertebrae injuries.”

pramod p a manager of the holland group said: “the bus carrying the workers belonged to bravo technical contracting services. some of the workers who died were on bravo’s visa but majority were employees of noor al fijer technical services in dubai.”

pramod said the bus and workers were covered under different insurance packages. “the bus has full coverage and the workers are entitled for workmen’s compensation insurance also. we at the company are doing our best to support their families. we are already working on a fund.”

he said all the four workers remaining in the hospital are in a stable condition. pramod said the company was working with the authorities and the diplomatic missions to repatriate the remains of the deceased.

meanwhile the dubai public prosecution is investigating the case. the 40-year-old pakistani truck driver has been placed under provisional detention.

a prosecution said that results of the technical reports were awaited but could take a few days more. the prosecution also ordered on saturday that the bus driver be detained right after he was medically treated for his injuries and also ordered that a blood sample be taken from him to see whether he had consumed any drugs or alcohol.

the traffic prosecution chief salah bu farroucha al felasi earlier ordered a technical examination by the dubai police mechanical workshop department experts on the truck to check its mechanical condition and determine how it was secure to drive it on the roads without putting others’ lives at risk. the prosecution has also requested al rashidiyah police station to open a traffic report on the accident and take statements from the injured whosoever’s condition allows them to do so.

in umm al quwain none of the over 150 employees working for the same group of companies went for work on sunday.

“all of us are still in shock and upset” said raju who was injured in the accident. seated three rows behind the bus driver raju had lost consciousness immediately after the crash. he sustained a fracture on his left arm and a deep injury on his lips which required six stitches.

he said 10 of the injured who were discharged gave their statement to the police and visited the remaining four in the hospital on sunday.—news?khaleejtimes.com

missions step in

the bodies of the dead workers will be repatriated in the next few days and full facilitation of procedures will be provided according to representatives from the indian and bangladeshi missions in dubai.

“we will be providing all facilitation to the company for the repatriation and eventually for compensation for the affected families” a spokesperson from the indian consulate said.

consul-general of bangladesh masudur rahman confirmed that nine of the injured were from bangladesh. “i am still waiting to confirm how many children the two married victims have left behind” he said. recounting an injured worker ibrahim miazi’s ordeal rahman said that he blacked out on the bus but woke up and saw several of his dead colleagues around him. “they are hoping to repatriate bodies within the next four days and will cover all costs” he added.

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