Dr Shamsheer Vayalil
Indian-origin billionaire Dr Shamsheer Vayalil has announced a Dh1 million humanitarian support package for families affected by the recent Emirates Road crash that killed seven workers and injured nine others.Dr Vayalil is a radiologist, businessman and philanthropist. He is the founder and chairman of Burjeel Holdings, a leading healthcare group in the Middle East, with hospitals and medical centres across the UAE and the region.The initiative will provide financial assistance to the families of the seven workers who lost their lives as well as the nine others who were injured in the crash.Under the programme, the families of the seven deceased victims will receive Dh100,000 each, bringing the total allocation for bereaved families to Dh700,000. An additional Dh180,000 has been earmarked to support the medical treatment and recovery of the nine injured survivors.The package also includes Dh70,000 to help cover emergency travel and accommodation costs for relatives and Dh50,000 to support the education of children from affected households.The assistance follows one of the deadliest worker transport accidents in the UAE in recent months. The crash occurred when a minibus carrying employees of a Dubai-based company collided with the rear of a truck that had reportedly stopped on Emirates Road due to a mechanical fault. The victims included workers from India and Sri Lanka. Authorities said six of those killed were Indian nationals, including three from Uttar Pradesh and three from Telangana, while one victim was from Sri Lanka, Khaleej Times reported.Some of the injured workers have since been discharged from hospital, while others remain under medical care.Dr Vayalil said the support programme was intended to provide immediate relief to families dealing with the consequences of the tragedy.”These were workers who came to the UAE with hopes, responsibilities and dreams for their loved ones,” he said. “No financial support can replace the lives lost, but we hope this assistance will ease some of the burden on grieving families and help the injured during their recovery.”He added that special attention would be given to families with young dependent children who have lost their primary source of income.According to Dr Vayalil, the assistance will be provided regardless of nationality. While coordination is taking place with the Indian Consulate in Dubai regarding affected Indian families, support will extend to all those impacted by the accident.Dubai Police previously confirmed that investigations into the cause of the crash remain ongoing.The relief package aims to provide short-term financial support while helping affected families manage longer-term challenges, particularly those involving children’s welfare and education.
