DAMMAM, 26 January 2003 — A train, heading from Dammam to Riyadh, collided with a jeep near Abqaiq yesterday, the Saudi Railways Organization said in a statement. There were no casualties.
The accident took place at 10.23 a.m. when the No. 3 train ran headlong into a stalled jeep on the track. The driver of the jeep, on seeing the train approaching, while crossing the railway line in a desert region between Abqaiq and Hufouf braked hard to save himself from the impending danger. “When the driver saw the train coming, he left the jeep on the railway line and ran to safety,” the statement said.
The accident occurred 96 kilometers away from Abqaiq station. “Neither the train’s crew nor its passengers were injured, but the impact of the collision destroyed the jeep and damaged the front of the train,” the statement said.
The train was allowed to continue its journey after the completion of routine procedures by the accompanying security officers. The check took only 15 minutes.
The organization said it had warned vehicle owners several times not to cross the railway line except at designated railway crossings.
