Muscat: The picnickers were in a mood of revelry and no one thought such a fate lay in store for them when their bus, out for the some fun moments to Al Dakhliya governorate met with an accident at Al Jabal Al Sharqui in the Wilayat of Al Hamra, killing five of them on the spot and injuring 14 others, either simply or grievously, on Saturday.
The group of 19 consisted of students mainly, along with some staff of the Youth Hostels and Children Care Centre, who were out on a routine picnic excursion to the Al Dakhliyah governorate. Such excursions was not a one-off event, but were routine, including trips outside the Sultanate and within it. What made the tragedy worse was the tender age of the picnickers, all between 12 and 20.
Following the tragic event, the Ministry of Social Development, in a statement, said that with great sadness, the Ministry received the news of the death of 5 people and injuries to 14 others, who were immediately shifted to Nizwa Reference Hospital.
“The Ministry is closely following up with the concerned authorities and hopes that the Almighty God blesses the deceased with His mercy and forgiveness in His vast gardens and grant the injured a speedy recovery, health and wellness.”
In an exclusive interview to Times of Oman, the Ministry said the youth hostel and the child care centre used to take its students and staff on periodic trips outside and inside the Sultanate, and the accident occurred when they were on a trip to the Wilayat of Al Hamra in the Governorate of Al Dakhiliyah.
In another interview to the Times of Oman, the Royal Oman Police said the accidents occurred at 9:25 am on Saturday, killing 5 people at the site of the accident and 14 injured were shifted to Nizwa Reference Hospital with moderate to serious injuries.
Captain Munir Al Sinan spoke to Oman TV about the details of the accident, when he said: “The Police Operations Centre received a report on Saturday morning at 9:25 am that a bus belonging to the Child Welfare Centre of the Ministry of Social Development had deteriorated in Al-Khoudh in the Wilayat of Seeb, and that it was carrying 19 passengers. As soon as the report was received, the Royal Oman Police and ambulance patrols of the Civil Defence and Ambulance Authority moved to the site of the accident.”
Al Sinan added: “The accident resulted in the death of 5 people and injuries to 14 of them. They were transferred to Nizwa Specialised Hospital and Bahla Hospital.” Captain Munir confirmed that the police aviation transported two critically injured patients from Nizwa Hospital to Khawla Hospital in Muscat Governorate.
