Fourteen Arabs and Africans died and several others were injured Sunday night after a minibus rammed into a truck near the Majdoue roundabout south of Jeddah.
“The accident took place at 9 p.m. and most of the victims were trapped inside the vehicle,” said Col. Saeed Al-Ghamdi, spokesman of the Civil Defense.
He added that five Civil Defense teams had taken part in the rescue operation.
The minibus, which was carrying 17 passengers, had rammed into the tipper truck.
Civil Defense servicemen had to cut through the minibus to reach the victims and rescue the three survivors who were transported to King Abdul Aziz Hospital.
Rescuers also put out a fire that was caused by a petrol leak from the bus, Al-Ghamdi said.
The traffic department has launched a probe to determine the cause of the accident.
Meanwhile, in south Dhahran, a Saudi woman and her daughter died on Sunday after the front tire of a GMC van they were traveling in along with other family members burst and the vehicle rolled over several times. The father and their two daughters escaped with injuries.
14 die in Jeddah minibus accident
14 die in Jeddah minibus accident
Iranian foreign minister calls Saudi counterpart ahead of nuclear talks with US
- They discuss importance of resolving differences through dialogue and diplomacy
- Regional powers pushed for the talks, scheduled for Friday in Oman, between Tehran and Washington
LONDON: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received a telephone call from his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, on Wednesday ahead of critical nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington.
They discussed the importance of resolving differences through dialogue and diplomacy, as well as efforts to maintain the security and stability of the region, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Regional powers had pushed for the talks, scheduled for Friday in Oman, between Iran and the US in an attempt to reach an agreement regarding Tehran’s nuclear program and prevent another escalation in the region.
In a message confirming the talks, posted on social media platform X on Wednesday, Araghchi wrote: “Nuclear talks with the United States are scheduled to be held in Muscat on about 10 a.m. Friday. I’m grateful to our Omani brothers for making all necessary arrangements.”
