Child run over by sister's school bus

Fujairah: A three-and-a-half year-old Emirati girl was crushed to death by the school bus carrying her elder sister while she was waiting for her arrival, her father told Gulf News yesterday.

The incident took place at 3:30pm on Tuesday in front of the girl's house in Murabah area of Fujairah, Rashid Al Nuaimi said.

Amnah Rashid Al Nuaimi was playing outside the house while her family was having lunch. She was to celebrate her fourth birthday after two months, the girl's father said.

"The girl came under the wheels of the bus and died on the spot," he added.

Amnah's mother used to drop the girl at her grandfather's house every day, and the father used to pick her, along with the family's maid, after work. Amnah was the youngest of the family. She is survived by two sisters and four brothers, Al Nuaimi said, who works as a social specialist at the Mohammad Bin Hamad Al Sharqi Secondary School at Murabah area of Fujairah.

Tried in vain

He said that the girl's brother saw the accident. He saw his sister behind the bus and tried to alert the driver of the school bus but in vain. "My son shouted and waived to alert the driver to avoid the accident, but it did not work," said the father

Lieutenant Colonel Saeed Al Yamahi, head of the media section at Fujairah Police, told Gulf News that the bus ran over the girl while the driver was reversing it to leave the area. The driver realised that he committed an accident when he heard screaming and shouting from outside.He then stopped to investigate the matter, said Al Yamahi.

A police patrol, ambulance and public prosecutor reached the spot after receiving a call, said Al Yamahi

The driver was arrested for investigation. He was transferred yesterday to the public prosecution. The girl's body was taken to a hospital and was later handed over to the family for burial.

Safety training

Jasem Mohammad Al Marzouqi, Executive Manager of School Transport Centre at Emirates Transport condoled with the family the death of the child as a result of the accident caused by one of their school buses.

He said the driver had joined the Emirates Transport in 2006 and had a clean record. He was an experienced driver and had gone through many safety training programmes, said Al Marzouqi.

He said the bus was transporting pupils from Al Ebtihaj Secondary School where the sister of the girl studies.