The son of a former Emirati soldier killed in a head-on crash in Oman during a holiday road trip has paid tribute to a "noble man" who dedicated his life to his country and family.
Mohammed Al Tamimi, 70, was travelling on Haima Road on his way to Salalah on Saturday when his black Rox vehicle collided with a white SUV.
The deadly crash was captured on a dashboard camera of another driver and was shared widely on social media.
The Emirati citizen and the driver of the second car, Omani teacher Nasser Al Kendi, both died in the crash, while Mr Al Tamimi's wife and daughter were injured.
His body was repatriated on Monday night and he was buried at Al Qusais Cemetery in Dubai after a funeral service.
His son, Sabri Al Tamimi, told The National his father had been travelling for a holiday in Oman with his mother and sister, with other relatives joining them in a second car.
“We are still in shock. My father was a great man,” he said. “My mother is still recovering from the injuries and can’t travel because of her condition. Doctors told us she is stable but she can’t travel. She will not say goodbye to my father.”
She is expected to return to the UAE this week.
He said his father was a former solider who had served his country for 27 years. He was also a cancer survivor, having first been diagnosed with the disease in 1989.
“My father had a long history with cancer since he was diagnosed in 1989,” he said. "He survived the cancer but recently it was back."
He reflected on his father's patriotism and pride in his country, which he demonstrated by displaying a 25-metre UAE flag on the family's house in Mirdif to mark National Day celebrations in 2012.
“My mother in that time was battling cancer, too,” he added. “We are in grief. My father was a noble man dedicated his life to serve his country and family.
Safety plea after tragedy
Tributes for the two drivers have flooded in on social media, along with many calling for safety measures to be stepped up on Omani roads, which are particularly busy during peak summer holiday months.
On July 11, three members of an Emirati family were killed in a crash on a road to Salalah.
Rashid Gareeb Al Yammahi, 25, his wife Jawaher Mohammed Al Yammahi, 21, and mother-in-law Khadija Ali Al Yammahi, 51, died in an accident involving three cars on Sultan Said bin Taimur Road in Dhofar governorate at 7am.
Eight more members of the family – on holiday from the UAE and travelling in two cars – were injured in the pile-up in which five people were killed.
“Police should have more radars on that road. Having more police patrols on Salalah road is important,” said Mosa Al Hadi from Oman on X.
Ahmed Al Tunaiji urged officials to expand the road to four lanes, with a central barrier in place to help prevent accidents.
“I wish the officials make the road two lanes in each direction with a road barrier between Nizwa to Salalah. People died because of this deadly road,” he said on X.
In June, Oman’s Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology announced plans for a series of developmental road projects in Dhofar to improve infrastructure ahead of the Khareef season, when huge numbers of tourists travel to Salalah to enjoy the green landscape and cooler temperature.
According to Oman News Agency, construction has begun on the third, fourth and fifth phases of the Sultan Said bin Taimour dual carriageway road project, covering a near 400km route at a cost of 258 million Omani rial ($670 million).
T20 World Cup Qualifier fixtures
Tuesday, October 29
Qualifier one, 2.10pm – Netherlands v UAE
Qualifier two, 7.30pm – Namibia v Oman
Wednesday, October 30
Qualifier three, 2.10pm – Scotland v loser of qualifier one
Qualifier four, 7.30pm – Hong Kong v loser of qualifier two
Thursday, October 31
Fifth-place playoff, 2.10pm – winner of qualifier three v winner of qualifier four
Friday, November 1
Semi-final one, 2.10pm – Ireland v winner of qualifier one
Semi-final two, 7.30pm – PNG v winner of qualifier two
Saturday, November 2
Third-place playoff, 2.10pm
Final, 7.30pm
Did you know?
Brunch has been around, is some form or another, for more than a century. The word was first mentioned in print in an 1895 edition of Hunter’s Weekly, after making the rounds among university students in Britain. The article, entitled Brunch: A Plea, argued the case for a later, more sociable weekend meal. “By eliminating the need to get up early on Sunday, brunch would make life brighter for Saturday night carousers. It would promote human happiness in other ways as well,” the piece read. “It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.” More than 100 years later, author Guy Beringer’s words still ring true, especially in the UAE, where brunches are often used to mark special, sociable occasions.
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Indoor Cricket World Cup Dubai 2017
Venue Insportz, Dubai; Admission Free
Fixtures - Open Men 2pm: India v New Zealand, Malaysia v UAE, Singapore v South Africa, Sri Lanka v England; 8pm: Australia v Singapore, India v Sri Lanka, England v Malaysia, New Zealand v South Africa
Fixtures - Open Women Noon: New Zealand v England, UAE v Australia; 6pm: England v South Africa, New Zealand v Australia
Key 2013/14 UAE Motorsport dates
October 4: Round One of Rotax Max Challenge, Al Ain (karting)
October 1: 1 Round One of the inaugural UAE Desert Championship (rally)
November 1-3: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Formula One)
November 28-30: Dubai International Rally
January 9-11: 24Hrs of Dubai (Touring Cars / Endurance)
March 21: Round 11 of Rotax Max Challenge, Muscat, Oman (karting)
April 4-10: Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge (Endurance)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
