A leading UAE businessman has stepped forward with a formal relief package for all families affected, 48 hours after seven people were killed and nine others injured in the Emirates Road accident.
Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said: “Burjeel Holdings, a healthcare company headquartered in Abu Dhabi, has announced an AED 1 million humanitarian recovery programme, equivalent to USD 270,000, to support the families of those killed and the survivors of Sunday’s crash.
Prominent Sources confirmed the announcement. This is the most significant private response to an accident that has shaken the UAE’s expatriate community.
Where the AED 1 Million Goes
There are four distinct allocation categories to this relief fund. No component is unaccounted for. The families of each of the seven deceased victims will receive AED100,000, which brings the total to AED700,000. Additionally, AED 180,000 has been reserved for the nine injured survivors based on their medical and recovery needs.
The package additionally includes AED 70,000 for emergency travel and accommodation for family members and AED 50,000 for subsidised education of children from the affected families. The four elements aggregate up to AED 1 million and there is hardly any ambiguity as to how the money is to be spent.
Emirates Road Accident: Victims Nationalities Revealed
The relief announcement included new details of the nationalities of the deceased and injured. Of the seven people killed in the Emirates Road accident, six were Indians and one of them was from Sri Lanka.
Out of the nine injured survivors, eight are Indian and one is Nepali. Of the Indian nationals killed, three were from Uttar Pradesh, and three from Telangana. Five of the nine survivors among the injured have been discharged from hospital. Three are still receiving treatment.
Dr. Shamsheer’s Statement
“The Emirates Road accident was a painful reminder of the sacrifices made by workers living away from their families,” Dr Shamsheer said. “This is a tragic tragedy that has hit families across countries. These were workers who came here with hopes, responsibilities and dreams for their families,” he said.
On the scope of the support, he was explicit that no one would be excluded based on nationality. “While we are coordinating with the Indian Consulate regarding affected Indian families, support will extend to all individuals impacted by this tragedy, in recognition of our shared humanity,” he said.
The announcement is the most recent in Dr. Shamsheer’s long track record of crisis philanthropy in the UAE and the region. He also provided funding for free medical procedures for underprivileged communities in Africa and Asia and contributed AED 5 million to the Emirates Red Crescent for earthquake relief in Turkey and Syria.
Emirates Road Accident: The Investigation
Dubai Police confirmed investigations into the Emirates Road accident remain ongoing on June 8. A minibus crashed into a lorry that had stopped in the middle of the road following a minor mechanical fault. Authorities have not released the victims’ names.
The Indian Consulate in Dubai confirmed on Sunday that its officials had visited the hospital and were working with local authorities and has since confirmed coordination with Dr. Shamsheer’s team on the distribution of relief to affected Indian families.
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