A pregnant Emirati and her 13-year-old daughter have been killed in a road accident while on a family holiday in Malaysia.
The family of six was being driven to Penang by a tourist guide when their car skidded and crashed into the side railings of a motorway on Sunday afternoon.
Hajar Al Tanajy, 34, died while receiving treatment at Tapah Hospital. Her daughter, Mira Ali, was pronounced dead at the accident scene.
“Mrs Al Tanajy’s husband, Ali Mohammed Amer, 38, and their two sons Muhammad, 11, and Saif, 8, and five-year-old daughter Moza, received treatment for minor injuries,” said Syahrom Su, vice consul at the Malaysian consulate in Dubai.
“The police have completed their forensic examinations of the scene and are in constant contact with the UAE embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
Mr Al Tanajy and his three children are being cared for by police and UAE embassy officials.
“The car skidded and hit a road divider before the side railing,” said Mr Su.
Police are still searching for Musleh Mohammad, from Yemen, who was believed to have been driving the family’s car.
“He is believed to have been a student who was working as a tourist guide and was driving the car when the accident happened,” said Mr Su.
“He went missing after the accident and the police are currently looking for him.”
Local media reports say the family was being driven north on the North-South Expressway in a car that ended up in the emergency lane facing the wrong way.
The two bodies have not yet been flown back to Dubai.
“In terms of the repatriation of the bodies it is a matter for the family and the UAE embassy, and we will cooperate with them and the family’s wishes,” said Mr Su.
“If they wish for the burials to take place in Malaysia or if they want the bodies returned to the UAE, it is something we can help with.”
Mr Su praised the work of UAE embassy officials in dealing with the tragedy.
“The police have told me the cooperation they have had with the embassy has been excellent,” he said.
“Tapah is quite far from Kuala Lumpur and for the officials to arrive so quickly and help the family has really impressed the police.”
The family was due to return to their Dibba Al Hisn home today.
They had arrived in Malaysia on September 3 for a week-long holiday, reported Al Ittihad, the Arabic language sister paper of The National.
Mrs Al Tanajy’s father also thanked Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the staff at the UAE embassy in Malaysia for helping the family.
nhanif@thenational.ae
