At least 22 migrant workers were killed in a collision. The highway crash deaths occurred in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) when a gravel-filled truck with faulty brakes rammed a bus, killing many of the occupants.
When 22 were killed in the collision, envoys from Pakistan, India, and other South Asian countries rushed to the scene. The crash took place near Al Ain, which is located about 90 miles east of Abu Dhabi, which is the seat of the UAE government.
The UAE is a federation of seven emirates that include oil-rich Abu Dhabi. Dubai , with its world famous skyscrapers, is the hub for trade and tourism in a total population of more than eight million. Millions of foreign workers increase the population even more.
According to ABC News , Brigadier General Hussein Ahmed al-Harethi, head of Abu Dhabi’s police traffic division, told the official news agency WAM that the truck driver lost control after the vehicle’s brakes failed.
In addition to the 22 killed in the collision, about 24 other people were injured. South Asians comprise the majority of laborers and these workers are usually transported by bus from labor camps to job sites. While police did not disclose the nationalities of the dead, according to the International Business Times the Abu Dubai-based Gulf News daily reported they were mostly from Bangladesh.
The World Health Organization data says that the per capita death toll on UAE roads is among the highest in the world. It is speculated that besides faulty brakes, the driver of the gravel truck probably did not give enough space between vehicles. The 22 killed in the collision died instantly, while the wounded were flown to Ali Ain by helicopters.
