Muscat: A driver who lost control of his truck causing it to spin out of control and fall off Al Hamriya bridge in Mutrah province of Muscat governorate on Saturday was speeding and using his mobile phone, according to Royal Oman Police (ROP). An Omani and a expatriate were killed in the accident.
The truck was loaded with more than 485 cartons of mineral water, juices and milk — in violation of traffic laws that require trucks carrying heavy loads to take the road under the bridge instead.
The truck was going between 100 to 120km/h, in an 80km/h zone.
Nine people who were caught filming the spot of the accident were apprehended by Omani police and will face trial.
The two deceased have been identified as Omani national Rashid Al Alawi and Bangladeshi national Mohammad Shahed.
Mohammad Esmail, also a Bangladeshi, is in critical condition in Khoulah hospital.
The accident caused a huge traffic snarl on the busy road that lasted for more than two hours.
Speeding and overtaking are the major reasons behind the occurrence of most of fatal road accidents in Oman.
The number of road accidents in 2015 stood at 6,276, compared with 6,717 in 2014. It resulted in the deaths of 675 people compared to 816 in 2014, according to ROP figures.
July was the deadliest month in 2015, with 71 people dead and 406 injured in 626 road accidents. Speeding was the main cause behind 3,411 road accidents.
