RIYADH — Saudi Arabia conveyed its formal condolences and regional solidarity to both the United Arab Emirates and Turkiye on Thursday following two separate fatal accidents that together claimed at least 18 lives. Through consecutive diplomatic statements published on its official X account, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs extended heartfelt sympathy to the leadership, governments, and citizens of both nations alongside the bereaved families.
The dual diplomatic messages underscore Riyadh’s close fraternal ties with its Gulf neighbor and Ankara during moments of national grief. Addressing the tragedy in the Emirates, the ministry voiced deep sorrow over a devastating multi-vehicle pileup in the eastern emirate of Fujairah that left at least 14 people dead and 30 others injured, wishing a swift and full recovery to those undergoing medical treatment.
According to preliminary investigations released by the UAE Ministry of Interior and Fujairah Police, the road disaster unfolded shortly before midnight on Wednesday along Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Road at the entrance to Fujairah. Authorities reported that a heavy truck driver lost control, colliding with traffic before overturning and slamming into stationary vehicles queued in slow-moving lanes. The impact ignited a severe fire in the truck that rapidly engulfed nearby cars across the 23-vehicle collision—which involved 18 passenger cars and five lorries. Civil defense teams, ambulance crews, and police extinguished the blaze and transported the injured to local hospitals, where 15 individuals have since been discharged while 15 remain hospitalized. Emirati citizens were among the fatalities, with forensic teams utilizing DNA testing to formally identify several victims.
In a separate communique, the Saudi foreign ministry expressed sincere sympathy to Ankara and the Turkish Armed Forces after four military personnel perished in a helicopter crash in Turkiye’s eastern province of Malatya. Riyadh affirmed its full support for the Turkish people and the families of the fallen servicemen.
Turkiye’s Ministry of National Defense confirmed on Thursday that an S-70 utility helicopter went down in the Yeşilyurt district of Malatya for reasons that remain under investigation. Emergency medical responders, firefighters, and military search-and-rescue units were dispatched immediately to the Samanköy area, where crews located the aircraft wreckage and recovered the four crew members. Defense officials have launched a technical inquiry to determine the exact cause of the aviation accident.
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