At least 5,362 people killed in traffic accidents last year in Turkey.
Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani sent his condolences to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Sunday following deadly car crashes in the cities of Gaziantep and Mardin.
According to the Amiri Diwan, the Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani also offered his condolences to the Turkish leader while wishing the injured a speedy recovery.
At least 35 people were killed in two separate traffic accidents in Turkey on Saturday.
The first accident occured when a bus crashed with first responders on the highway between Gaziantep and Nizip, where emergency teams were responding to an earlier accident.
According to Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, 15 people were killed, including three firefighters, two paramedics and two journalists. The remaining eight deaths were among passengers on the bus.
In another accident in, 20 people were killed when a truck’s brake burst in the Derik district of Mardin, where emergency teams were also responding to another accident, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported.
“After Gaziantep, we unfortunately received news of an accident from Derik district of Mardin. I wish God’s mercy to our citizens who lost their lives in the accident that burned our lungs, and a speedy recovery to those who were injured,” tweeted Turkey’s president on Saturday.
Speaking to the press, Soylu said that a police officer was among the victims and noted two drivers are being investigated for their role in the tragic crash.
Footage that emerged online showed harrowing details of both incidents, prompting an outpouring of tributes worldwide.
The accidents also highlighted Turkey’s record of road safety, with at least 5,362 people killed in traffic accidents last year alone, the Associated Press (AP) reported, citing Turkish government figures.