Oman accident: Tyre blowout kills eight, Salalah road death toll rises to 24

Muscat: A tyre blowout over the weekend resulted in a two vehicle collision, killing eight people and increasing the Salalah road death toll to 24 in just eight weeks.
Of the eight casualties, six were Omani citizens, while two were Yemeni nationals, according to the Royal Oman Police (ROP).
A preliminary investigation by the ROP revealed that the accident was caused by a tyre burst.
“Preliminary information about the accident in Haima shows that it occurred as a result of one of the vehicle’s tyres bursting, as the vehicle deviated to the opposite lane and collided with the other vehicle,” a police statement read. The two vehicle crash took place 30 km south of Haima, and two of the injured were airlifted to a hospital in Nizwa.
The ROP calls on drivers to use original tyres with the correct measurements and dates, to reduce the frequency of repeated tyre bursting incidents on this road. The ROP also calls on drivers to avoid exhaustion and speeding while driving.
The police released emergency contacts last month for six towns along the Salalah road after many people died on the road.
A statement from the ROP read, “A collision between two vehicles, 30 km south of Haima, resulted in five deaths and seven injuries between moderate to severe.”
The towns go as far as Adam, which is located 176 km from Muscat, all the way to Thumrait, the last major city before the Dhofari capital of Salalah.
“For every Khareef (monsoon) season that begins in Dhofar, the only road that leads to Salalah is a little dangerous,” said a police spokesperson. “We are providing assistance for those who drive to Salalah. Anybody can drive to Salalah, and so there needs to be some sort of assistance. It’s the tourist season, the number of people travelling will naturally be higher, and there should be immediate assistance if necessary.”
“There are five to six routes to Thumrait,” he added. “These six routes fall under the jurisdiction of the emergency vehicles and the police, while another four are under Civil Defence and Ambulance services. They also have air support through a helicopter that is on standby,” the spokesperson added.