DUBAI, Aug 3: A tragic car accident in Oman has claimed the life of a respected 70-year-old Emirati man, Mohammad Faraj, while on a family road trip to Salalah. The fatal crash occurred on Saturday, August 2, along Haima Road — a popular route among UAE residents traveling to Oman during the summer holidays.

Faraj, a retired UAE Armed Forces soldier, was driving with his wife, Fathima Al Hashmi (69), and daughter Samiha (42) when their black SUV collided head-on with another vehicle at high speed. The devastating impact, captured in a widely circulated video, shows the black and white vehicles smashing into each other on the narrow two-lane highway.

Confirming the tragedy, Sabri Al Tamimi, one of Faraj’s six children, said he received a call from authorities around 4 pm. “My father passed away at approximately 2 pm. We are still in shock. He was a great man.”

An Omani citizen in the other car also died at the scene. His body was airlifted from Sultan Qaboos Hospital in Salalah to Liwa, North Batinah, by police helicopter.

Faraj succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. His wife remains in critical condition but is showing signs of improvement, while his daughter Samiha emerged from the crash unharmed.

Following in a separate vehicle were Faraj’s other daughter, Alia, her husband Abdullah, and their two-year-old son Said — all of whom witnessed the horrific accident unfold just ahead of them.

The family had been on a six-day trip to Salalah, planning to return the following week. They are now preparing to repatriate the father’s body to Dubai, where he will be buried, likely on Sunday evening or Monday.

Mohammad Faraj was not only a decorated veteran who served 27 years in the UAE military, but also a two-time cancer survivor. First diagnosed in 1989, he overcame the disease once, though it returned in recent years. His wife is also a breast cancer survivor who battled the illness for five years.

In 2012, while both were undergoing cancer treatment, the devoted couple handcrafted a 25-metre UAE flag to mark the 41st National Day and their 41st wedding anniversary. The flag was proudly displayed on their villa in Mirdif as a tribute to the UAE leadership and their unwavering support.