Dubai Emirates Road crash: All seven victims identified, youngest was 23

Dubai: All seven workers killed in Sunday's tragic minibus crash on Emirates Road have been formally identified, the company that employed them has confirmed to Gulf News, ending a painful process complicated by the severity of injuries that had left some of the bodies disfigured beyond easy recognition. 

As first reported by Gulf News, six of the deceased were Indian expats while one was from Sri Lanka.  

According to the Sharjah-headquartered company, the Indian expat workers have been identified as Markandey Chauhan, 39, Abdul Rasheed, 38, and Mohammad Saqib, 31, all three from Uttar Pradesh, as well as Saleem Sayyed, 51, Abdul Rafiq, 37, and Thirupathi Gollapally, 23, all three from Telangana.

The Sri Lankan victim, Samuvel Rengasami, 34, hailed from the Northern Province.  

A company spokesperson told Gulf News: “Five of the seven were in their thirties. The youngest among them, Thirupathi Gollapally, had turned 23 just last month. The oldest, Saleem Sayyed, was also born in May as per his documents. Mohammad Saqib was just weeks shy of his 32nd birthday. Except for Thirupathi and Mohammad, all were married with families back home.” 

He said they worked in roles ranging from helpers to skilled experts at a construction site in Dubai and were returning to their accommodation in Sharjah on Sunday when the tragedy struck. The minibus they were travelling in slammed into a truck that had stalled in the middle of Emirates Road near the Dubai-Sharjah border. 

Chose to come in 

What makes the loss all the more poignant is that the workers were not obligated to be there. The company offers optional half-day overtime shifts on weekends, depending on project requirements.

The spokesperson said up to 40 workers could have chosen to work that day. Only 24 did, including the 16 who travelled on the ill-fated minibus along with its driver. 

"That shows their dedication at work and care for their families," he said. 

Except for Markandey Chauhan, who had been with the firm for more than 10 years, most of the victims were relatively new to the company, some having joined only a few months ago with dreams to build a better future.

 'Every single soul is valuable' 

The spokesperson said the company has been left in a state of deep grief. 

"We are all in deep sorrow and shock. Every single soul is valuable to us, and we are mourning the loss of all of them…The way they died has been particularly heartbreaking as some of their bodies were disfigured, which is why the identification process took longer." 

He said the families of all the deceased and injured have been informed, and Dubai Police are also in touch with them. 

Four still hospitalised 

Of the nine people injured in the crash, four remain under treatment in two different hospitals as of Wednesday night. Three of them are in intensive care: two are in critical condition, while the third is reportedly out of danger. The fourth injured worker is in a stable condition and is being treated in a general ward. The remaining five injured workers were discharged earlier. 

Dh1 million relief fund 

Diplomatic missions of all the nationalities involved are actively coordinating with the authorities, the company, and the affected families.  

Both the Indian Consulate and the Sri Lankan Consulate in Dubai are facilitating the disbursement of the Dh1 million relief package announced by Abu Dhabi-based Indian expat business leader and Burjeel Holdings Chairman and CEO Dr Shamsheer Vayalil. 

Under the humanitarian programme, the family of each of the seven deceased will receive Dh100,000, while Dh180,000 has been set aside for the nine injured survivors based on medical and recovery needs. 

A further Dh70,000 covers emergency travel and accommodation for family members, and Dh50,000 has been earmarked to support the education of children from affected families. 

The spokesperson said the company is deeply grateful for the gesture. 

"Our hearts go out to the families who lost these hardworking members. We are doing our best to support all affected families. We are touched by the generous support extended by Dr Shamsheer and would like to thank him wholeheartedly for his noble gesture," he added.