Indian bus crash victims identified

The bodies of the 39 Indians who died in a bus accident in southern province Dhofar on Friday, which in all claimed 46 lives, have been identified and most of these will be repatriated back home as early as possible, an Indian Embassy official told Gulf News yesterday.

Punit Kundan, who flew into Salalah on Sunday from Muscat, said some of the bodies would be cremated here with the approval of the relatives because these are not fit for transportation. "About five to six bodies can't be embalmed because of mutilation."

He said the bodies would be flown to Muscat from here by Omani Air and from there to New Delhi and Hyderabad by Air India and Indian Airlines.

Among the victims, 19 were from Rajasthan, eight from Punjab, seven from Andhra Pradesh, two each from Bihar and UP and one from Kerala.

"Our first priority is to repatriate as many bodies as possible and as quickly as possible and we are extremely thankful to these airlines for the great help they are offering."

He also thanked the Royal Oman Police and other Omani authorities for their cooperation, saying "we have been overwhelmed by their support in this moment of trial and tribulation."

He also thanked Al Nadha Al Omania LLC, which employed these workers for the construction of a road in Dhofar near Salalah for their support, saying the company is doing its best to compensate the bereaved families.

He said the tragedy, the worst in Oman's road traffic history, was too gruesome to describe. "Today we visited the site of the accident where the bus, which was carrying 55 passengers to Salalah for Friday shopping, has been reduced to a skeleton. It is a big loss."

Kundal said the concerned state authorities in India will be offering all cooperation to the relatives of the dead for final rites and other formalities.

According to the four Indian survivors, three of whom have been discharged from the hospital, the accident took place because of brake failure.

The official probe being conducted by a three-man team of Royal Oman Police, headed by Col. Mohammed bin Awad Al Rowas, a road safety specialist, is yet to be made public.

"We have nothing new to say", said Aslam bin Mohammed Al Amri, head of the public relations section in the ROP headquarters in Dhofar, asked by Gulf News yesterday.

Sohail Siddiqui of Pakistan Embassy said arrangements have been made to fly the three bodies of Sarfraz Ahmed of Chakwal, Sarfraz Ali of Multan and Javeedan of Dandot, all from Punjab, Pakistan's largest province. "No objection certificates have been issued."