QATIF, 24 July 2006 — Relatives of eight Saudi tourists that died in a horrific road accident in the Jordanian city of Mafraq buried their loved ones in Saudi Arabia on Saturday after an emergency helicopter, sent by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, brought the remains of the dead to the Kingdom.

The Saudis, who were trying to get back to the Kingdom following the escalation of Israeli attacks on Lebanon and Palestine, died on Wednesday when the bus they were traveling in crashed after missing a bend on the highway between the Jordanian cities of Zarqa and Mafraq, about 60 km east of Amman. Surviving passengers said that the driver lost his concentration when something fell on him making him turn away from the road and look down. When the driver looked up he attempted to turn but lost control. At the time of the accident the bus was traveling at 110 to 130 kilometers.

The bus contained 50 passengers, mostly Saudis, heading to Qatif from Jordan and Syria. Emergency services immediately attended the scene. One of the first ambulances carried a mother with her three sons; the mother’s condition was said to be critical.

Injured passengers were taken to Dammam Central Hospital where they were given treatment. Besides the eight Saudis that were killed, a Jordanian national also died and 42 other Saudis, mainly from Qatif and Ahsa, were injured. The smallest passenger to survive the accident with minor injuries was a two-month-old baby called Fatima.

In an emotional scene, crying and anxious families and friends headed to the hospital to ask about their loved ones. Many people expressed their gratitude to King Abdullah for sending help and emergency helicopters to the site of the crash. Relatives identified the bodies of the dead as the Dammam Central Hospital quickly worked to issue death certificates so families can make funeral arrangements.

The bus driver was identified as Ali Al-Janoubi, who was his parents’ only son after his brother died in an accident a short while ago. Al-Janoubi’s father was taken to Qatif Central Hospital after collapsing on hearing about the death of his son.

Dr. Al-Ghamdi, the president of the emergency department in the Eastern Province, stated that the injured were taken care of and that two emergency helicopters brought the bodies of the dead and 20 injured people to Dammam Central Hospital. Five of the injured were released straight away. The last passenger to get to the hospital was Amera Al-Marhoun who had suffered some bone fractures.

Among the dead were the bodies of a father and his two daughters. Officials said that many of the tourists had only recently been issued their passports and had gone abroad for the first time in their lives.