At least 35 killed in Yemen’s deadliest road crash in years on mountain route

Dubai: At least 35 people were killed on Wednesday in a devastating road accident along a dangerous mountain route in Yemen’s southern Abyan province, government officials and local sources said.

Sana bin Dhiban, deputy head of Yemen’s Land Transport Authority in Aden, told Reuters that a passenger bus carrying dozens of travelers returning from Saudi Arabia collided with another vehicle on the Al Arqoub mountain road in Abyan. The crash left 35 passengers dead and seven others injured, he said.

Local sources said both vehicles caught fire after the collision, burning completely and leaving most of the victims charred beyond recognition. Three people in the second vehicle also died in the blaze.

Only seven passengers reportedly survived after smashing the bus windows and leaping out amid the flames in a desperate attempt to escape. Emergency teams were dispatched to the area to assist the wounded and recover the bodies.

Preliminary reports suggest the crash was caused by excessive speed and brake failure in both vehicles, which led to a direct head-on collision.

Videos shared on social media showed plumes of fire and thick smoke rising from the wreckage of the bus and car. The incident is believed to be Yemen’s deadliest traffic accident in recent years, and the third major crash in less than a month.

International reports have long ranked Yemen among the countries with the highest rates of traffic accidents, often attributed to poor road conditions, limited enforcement of safety rules, and vehicle maintenance failures.