Unlicensed Saudi teenage-driver kills Lankan worker

Mohammed RASOOLDEEN in Riyadh

A 43-year-old Sri Lankan hospital worker was killed in a car accident on 60th Street (Sarah Sitteen) in Jeddah when he was hit by a 15-year-old unlicensed Saudi driver yesterday (Wednesday) morning.

The incident occurred when the victim, Yusuf Amir, a Sri Lankan worker was traveling with his nephew, Bahar Mahroof, who was driving the car during a festival visit to some of his relations and friends who were in the port city of Jeddah.

The police had arrested the young driver who could not control his vehicle due to high speed. According to Mahroof, he was driving at a moderate speed on the third lane of the street, while the Saudi driver crashed into his car from the left side where the victim seated on his left got the direct impact of the accident.

The deceased, Amir, hails from Kinniya, some 300kms from the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo. He has been working in the hospital for the past eight years and was survived by three children and wife back home.

Abdul Lateef Mohammed Lafeer, Sri Lankan consul general who visited the survivor at the hospital told Arab News that the driver had escaped with minor injuries, however, he added that the hospital authorities wanted to keep the patient under observation for the next 24 hours.

"Mahroof is undergoing a series of clinical tests to ensure that he has not sustained any internal wounds," the consul general said.

As to the deceased, Lafeer said that a post mortem will be held today and the body will be released as soon as the preliminary police inquiry is over.

"When we contacted the next-of-kin of the deceased for further instructions, the wife of Yusuf Amir had informed the consulate through the Colombo foreign ministry to send the dead body back home to enable his friends and relatives to perform the last rites for the dead person," Lafeer noted.

Since the cause of the accident was an under aged driver, Lafeer said that the consulate would pursue with the authorities concerned to get a compensation for the victim's family.