14 Killed in Fujairah Highway Pile-Up as UAE Confirms Victims’ Identities
Fourteen people were killed and 30 others injured in a multi-vehicle pile-up on the main highway into Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, and authorities on Saturday confirmed the identities of all those who died.
The UAE Ministry of Interior said 10 Emiratis and four Indians were among the dead. The ministry released the nationalities of the 30 injured as well: eight Emiratis, seven Indians, six Omanis, three Egyptians, two Jordanians, two Pakistanis and two Brazilians.
The crash happened shortly before midnight on Wednesday on Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Road, the E66 highway that links Dubai and Sharjah with Fujairah, near the entrance to the emirate.
How the crash unfolded
Preliminary investigations found that two consecutive accidents took place at the same stretch of road, according to the authorities.
In the first, a vehicle collided with a stationary truck. Moments later, a truck carrying two shipping containers ploughed into several vehicles and overturned. The accidents happened in an area where the right-hand lane had been closed for maintenance works.
In total, 23 vehicles were involved — 18 cars and five trucks, according to the Interior Ministry. Police said a truck caught fire after the impact and the flames spread to nearby vehicles, adding to the scale of the tragedy.
Specialised police units, ambulance crews, Civil Defence teams and other emergency responders were deployed to the scene immediately. Fifteen of the injured have been discharged from hospital, while 15 others were still receiving treatment, police said.
Victims identified
The ministry said the formal identification process had been completed before the victims’ nationalities were announced, and that it was carrying out “post-incident legal and administrative procedures while respecting the privacy of the victims’ families”.
Among the four Indian nationals killed were three members of a single family from Vengara in the Malappuram district of Kerala — Muhammed Asmil and his twin siblings, Misna Jubin and Muhammed Fayis — according to Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan.
The Indian Consulate in Dubai said a representative had visited hospitals to offer condolences and assess the condition of survivors, and pledged assistance to the affected families.
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation also expressed its condolences, with Secretary-General Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed offering solidarity with the UAE government and people and with the families of those who lost their lives.
Investigation under way
The Federal Public Prosecution has opened an investigation into the crash, ordering technical inspections, forensic laboratory testing and formal victim identification procedures to determine the cause and establish legal liability.
No cause has been officially confirmed. The ministry has urged the public not to circulate rumours while the investigation continues.
In its statement, the ministry renewed its call for motorists to follow traffic laws, observe speed limits and maintain safe following distances, and warned drivers to stay alert to sudden slowdowns or stationary traffic ahead of them.
Why this matters
The crash is one of the deadliest road accidents in the UAE in recent years, and it underlines the dangers of high-speed pile-ups on the country’s inter-emirate highways, where trucks, commuter traffic and roadworks often share the same carriageway.
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It also shows how an accident on a single road can reach across borders. The dead and injured include citizens of eight countries, reflecting the large expatriate communities that live and work in the Emirates and travel the Dubai–Fujairah route every day.
Road safety has been a recurring concern in the UAE, where the authorities have invested heavily in enforcement cameras, awareness campaigns and highway upgrades. The ministry’s statement framed road safety as “a shared responsibility essential to preventing casualties and protecting road users”.
Deadly accidents have struck elsewhere this week as well: six killed as eight-storey building under construction collapses near Nairobi, and at least 26 killed as minibus collides head-on with truck near Kaziranga in Assam.
Latest developments
- The Interior Ministry confirmed the victims’ identities early on Saturday, three days after the crash.
- The Federal Public Prosecution’s investigation is continuing, with technical inspections and forensic testing ordered.
- Fifteen injured people have been discharged from hospital; 15 remain under treatment.
- The Indian Consulate in Dubai is supporting the families of the Indian victims.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were killed in the Fujairah crash?
Fourteen people were killed — 10 Emiratis and four Indians — and 30 others were injured, according to the UAE Ministry of Interior.
Where did the Fujairah crash happen?
On Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Road (E66), the main highway into Fujairah from Dubai and Sharjah, near the entrance to the emirate. The right-hand lane was closed for maintenance works at the time.
How many vehicles were involved?
Twenty-three vehicles in total — 18 cars and five trucks — according to the Interior Ministry. The crash involved two consecutive accidents: a vehicle hitting a stationary truck, followed by a container truck colliding with several vehicles and overturning.
What caused the crash?
The cause has not been officially confirmed. The Federal Public Prosecution has opened an investigation, ordering technical inspections and forensic laboratory testing to determine what happened and who bears legal responsibility.
What happens next
Investigators will now work through the technical inspections and forensic results to establish exactly how the pile-up began, including the role of the closed lane, the stationary truck and the container truck that overturned. The findings will determine whether charges follow.
For the families of the 14 victims, the ministry’s confirmation of identities brings the first formal closure after three days of uncertainty — and for the 15 people still in hospital, the focus now is on recovery.
