KOZHIKODE: Five members of a family from Kozhikode, including three children, died in an accident in Bisha province, about 200km away from Riyad, in Saudi Arabia in the early hours of Saturday.
The accident occurred while the family was on their way to Jizan from Jubail. The deceased have been identified as Muhammed Jabir (48) of Beypore, his wife Shabna (36), and children Laiba (7), Saha (5) and Lutfi (3).
According to sources, Jabir was transferred to Jizan in southwestern Saudi Arabia and the accident occurred when they were shifting to their new home in the port city. Social workers and relatives came to know about the accident when the vehicle with the household goods that started before them reached the destination and Jabir and his family did not.
Jabir had left Jubail on Friday with his family and were travelling in a Corolla car when they met with the accident. Sources said the vehicle lost control after a Land Cruiser, reportedly driven by a Saudi national, rammed it from behind.
Jabir, a field officer with a private company, received the transfer order a week ago. He had gone to Jizan and after finding a home for his family returned to Jubail. He was again heading for Jizan with his wife and children when the accident occurred.
All the five members of the family reportedly died on the accident spot. The bodies were shifted to the mortuary at Al-Rain Hospital.
Sources said that efforts were on to bring the bodies back to Kerala. Beypore MLA and PWD minister PA Mohammed Riyas visited the relatives of the victims in Beypore on Saturday.
"It is a very tragic incident, and we are all grief stricken. Efforts are on from the side of the government to speed up further procedures. The district collector has been assigned to take appropriate action," said Riyas.
