At least 16 Palestinian pilgrims die in road accident near Maan

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday sent a cable of condolences to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, expressing his deepest sympathies over the death of Palestinian pilgrims in a road accident that took place on Wednesday night, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour sent a letter of condolences to Palestinian Premier Rami Hamdallah, also voicing his sympathies over the accident, according to Petra.  

At least 16 Palestinian pilgrims died and 34 others were injured on Wednesday night when their bus overturned near the Mudawara border crossing, said Walid Ruwad, director of Maan Public Hospital, adding that all the cases were transferred to hospitals in Amman and Aqaba.

The Public Security Department (PSD) said a technical committee formed to investigate the accident revealed that the reason behind the accident was changing lane abruptly that made the driver lose control of the vehicle, according to a PSD statement sent to The Jordan Times. 

The accident took place in Batn Al Ghoul, 75 kilometres southeast of the city of Maan on Wednesday night. 

The passengers were heading to Hijaz in Saudi Arabia to perform umra (the lesser Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca).   

Ruwad said the staff of Maan hospital dealt with several injuries ranging from severe to mild, adding that they started receiving cases as of 10pm. 

The death toll rose to 16 when two pilgrims succumbed to their injuries later in the day. 

“Several medics arrived from Karak, Tafileh and Amman to support their Maan colleagues,” Ruwad told The Jordan Times over the phone on Thursday. 

He said that Maan residents flocked to the hospital to donate blood (see separate story on page 3).

Ruwad added, the most severe cases were transported by a plane to the army-run King Hussein Medical Centre in Amman. 

The doctor said: “We decided it would be easier for their families to check on them in Amman and spare the relatives the trouble of travelling to Maan,” which lies 220km to the south of the capital. 

Palestinian Awqaf Minister Yousef Ideis, accompanied by the head of the Lower House’s Palestine Committee Deputy Yahya Saud, on Thursday checked on the injured being treated at the King Hussein Medical Centre, Petra reported.

Ideis thanked Jordan for providing the emergency and medical treatment to the injured and thanked the people of Maan who rushed to donate blood for the injured.

On Thursday night, nine Jordanians were injured in a road accident on the same Maan-Mudawara road.

Their vehicle, which had Saudi licence plate, overturned on the road, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported, quoting the Civil Defence Department.

The injured were taken to Maan Public Hospital, where they were listed in fair condition.