Officials to be probed in deadly Hail crash in Jeddah

Hail Gov. Prince Saud bin Abdul Mohsen has ordered an investigation into government officials who allegedly left holes in local roads unfilled, leading to a horrific accident in Muraifiq in Hail that killed 12 women university students on Nov. 20. The Bureau of Investigation and Prosecution will take charge of the investigations into the officials. Dean of Students Affairs at Hail University Saud Al-Naif, meanwhile, said on Sunday that women students from distant locations would be provided accommodation on campus. The students killed in the accident used to travel a distance of 400 kilometers every school day from their home to the university and vice versa. Al-Naif made the statement at a press conference of the committee investigating circumstances that led to the accident. The prince appointed the investigation committee shortly after the accident. The committee found the driver was forced to drive on the wrong side of the road to avoid potholes. No warning signs were posted on the road about the potholes and there was no alternative lane for the vehicles, while the markings on the road were not clear. The committee also found that the overloaded van was speeding. The removal of seats from their positions and the failure to use safety belts contributed to the students’ deaths. The driver did not carry a license to transport students and he also took a road that was under construction, leaving the highway. He did not have a signed agreement with parents to transport the girls, the committee’s report said.