Steel-coil truck triggered deadly 15-vehicle Samail crash, Oman police say

A truck carrying heavy steel coils lost control after encountering sudden congestion caused by a previous accident in Samail, resulting in a devastating 15-vehicle crash that claimed six lives and injured 18 others, according to the Royal Oman Police. The collision occurred around 8pm on Friday on Sultan Thuwaini bin Said Road, as the tractor-trailer was en route to Muscat.

An earlier incident near the scene had caused traffic to accumulate along the road, leading to the driver losing control of the truck when it reached the congestion. The dislodged load of steel coils then flew across the barriers, triggering a chain reaction of collisions involving multiple vehicles. The wreckage resulted in 15 damaged vehicles in total.

Of the 24 injured, eight were reported to be in critical condition. Police and emergency services were promptly dispatched to the Wadi Bani Rawaha area to manage the aftermath. The Royal Oman Police had issued a traffic alert following the crash, urging motorists to exercise extreme caution due to the accident and ensuing traffic congestion.

Oman's Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology announced the launch of an investigation into the crash on Saturday, with the Transport Safety Office examining the causes and potential contributing factors. The ministry also expressed condolences to the families of the victims and extended wishes for the injured to recover swiftly.