Yemen Monitor / Special Report:
The international Al-Abr road turned into a tragic scene on Friday evening after a horrific traffic accident involving a cargo truck and a passenger bus carrying travelers arriving from Saudi Arabia, leaving dozens dead and injured in one of the deadliest road disasters witnessed on the desert highway linking Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
Local sources said the accident occurred suddenly on the international road in the Al-Abr area following a violent collision between a truck and a bus belonging to Al-Baraka passenger transport company, resulting in around 30 people killed or injured amid what were described as “horrific” scenes due to the severity of the crash.
The sources added that ambulances and local residents rushed to the scene immediately after the accident, where the injured were transported and victims recovered amid a state of confusion and shock. Several cases remain critical, making the death toll likely to rise.
The Al-Abr road is known as one of Yemen’s most vital yet dangerous highways, witnessing heavy daily traffic from travelers and cargo trucks coming from Saudi Arabia. Accidents frequently occur due to deteriorating road conditions, speeding, and the extreme fatigue faced by long-haul truck and bus drivers.
In the aftermath of the crash, the government moved quickly to contain the consequences of the disaster. Transport Minister Mohsen Haidara Al-Amri ordered the immediate formation of a field investigation committee and urgent deployment to the accident site to determine the circumstances and causes of the incident.
The minister stressed the need for a comprehensive and urgent report on the accident and for measures to prevent similar disasters in the future, including strengthening safety procedures and oversight of transport vehicles and land routes.
Al-Amri also expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, offering condolences to the families of the victims and wishing a speedy recovery to the injured.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the General Authority for the Regulation of Land Transport, Fares Ahmed Shaafal, announced the assignment of specialized field teams to inspect the crash site. The teams are headed by the authority’s deputy chairman, Sanad Thayban, and the head of the authority’s branch in Hadramawt Valley and Desert, Omar Ba-Aremah, to conduct a technical and field investigation and prepare a detailed report including causes and recommendations.
According to preliminary information, the bus was carrying a large number of passengers returning from Saudi Arabia. The injured were transferred to nearby hospitals for treatment and first aid while authorities continued casualty assessments and field follow-up operations.
The tragedy has renewed repeated calls for the rehabilitation of the Al-Abr international highway and the improvement of safety standards, especially as deadly accidents on the road have claimed the lives of hundreds of travelers in recent years, earning it the popular nickname “The Road of Death.”
