Six Tunisian workers tragically lost their lives in the early hours of Saturday following a devastating road accident on the Jalu-Kufra highway in southeastern Libya.
According to the Tunisian Observatory for Human Rights, the fatal crash occurred when a passenger bus collided head-on with a light truck. The Observatory’s president, Mustafa Abdel Kabir, confirmed that all six victims were employed by Al-Bahr Al-Mutawassit Holding Company, operating at the Sarir oil site in Libya.
The Jalu Central Hospital reported that seven Tunisians were aboard the ill-fated bus at the time of the collision. The accident resulted in the immediate deaths of six Tunisian nationals along with the Libyan driver. One surviving passenger, also Tunisian, is currently receiving medical treatment at the hospital for injuries sustained in the crash.
The Tunisian Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement confirming it is closely following the case. Both the Tunisian Embassy in Tripoli and the Consulates General in Tripoli and Benghazi are coordinating with Libyan authorities to oversee the situation and ensure the proper repatriation of the victims’ remains.
Preliminary reports suggest the accident may have been caused by poor visibility and the challenging conditions of the remote desert road connecting Jalu and Kufra, a route frequently used by oilfield workers commuting between job sites.
The tragic incident highlights ongoing concerns over road safety and infrastructure conditions in remote areas of Libya, particularly in regions vital to the country’s oil sector. Tunisian and Libyan authorities have pledged to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident.
This is not the first time that Tunisian workers have been involved in fatal road accidents while working in Libya’s oil-rich regions, prompting calls for improved transportation safety measures.
