A ‘LOVELY’ young Irish teacher was killed in a horrific bus crash near Dubai Airport that left 16 others dead. Fiona Geraghty, 28, from Balbriggan, Co Dublin, was taking a year-long career break in the capital city, when the bus crashed into an overhead sign at 5.40pm local time. She was travelling with her boyfriend, […]
A ‘LOVELY’ young Irish teacher was killed in a horrific bus crash near Dubai Airport that left 16 others dead.
Fiona Geraghty, 28, from Balbriggan, Co Dublin, was taking a year-long career break in the capital city, when the bus crashed into an overhead sign at 5.40pm local time.
She was travelling with her boyfriend, also a teacher in his 20s, when the disaster unfolded.
He was left with serious injuries and suffered internal injuries, but is recovering at Rashid Hospital.
A friend told the Irish Independent, Fiona and her boyfriend, were about to extend their stay in Dubai for another year.
They had both had been teaching at the School of Research Science in Al Warqa, Dubai.
The friend said: “Fiona’s parents were in Lanzarote celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary when they got the call yesterday that their pride and joy was gone.
“She was a lovely, bright, young, intelligent girl, who loved life. I’m just devastated. I feel for her family – I’m numb.”
Police Chief Maj Gen Abdullah Al Marri said people lost their lives because of a “simple error or negligence during driving”.
He added: “Sometimes a simple error or negligence during driving leads to serious consequences, as happened this evening, and resulted in the deaths of 17 people of different nationalities.”
Officials later said the bus drove straight into a low-clearance sign, forcing the sign to sweep straight into the driver’s side of the vehicle.
He is among seven passengers, and the driver, recovering from their injuries at Rashid Hospital.
His condition is believed to be stable.
The bus, which had 31 passengers on board, was travelling from Oman to Dubai when it crashed into the height restriction sign while come off a main highway.
Dubai police said that the incident occurred on Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road.
The government-owned bus company Mwasalat, expressed their condolences.
It said in a statement: “Mwasalat family expresses its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and wishes a speedy recovery to the injured.”
The Khaleej Times said the bus was full of holidaymakers returning from Oman after the Eid holidays when it crashed on Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road around 6pm local time.
Relations were said to be “desperately” trying to get information on passengers’ conditions from Rashid Hospital officials.
Police said that the “unfortunate incident” is being investigated, and thanked the “competent authorities involved” for helping at the scene.
The force said after the “tourist bus collided with a [directive sign], the bodies and the injured have been transferred to authorities”.
Dubai Police added: “The general directorate of Dubai Police extends its sincere condolences to the families of the deceased in the unfortunate accident,” reports The National.
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