The meeting was attended by Prince Faisal bin Abdullah, president of the Saudi Red Crescent Authority, and top officials.
At the outset of the meeting, Prince Saud expressed deep sorrow over the death of 12 university students and two others in a road crash on Sunday. “We believe in the will of God,” he said, adding that the accident would be thoroughly investigated and the probe could provide leads that will benefit the region’s people.
Prince Faisal, who too expressed grief over the deaths, said he had received a complete report from the Red Crescent on the accident. He announced that the authority would give two helicopters to provide air ambulance services in the region.
“These helicopters will help in the quick transfer of patients from one hospital to another,” Prince Faisal said. “We’ll start air ambulance services in the region three months after receiving specialized helicopters.”
Speaking to Prince Faisal, the governor emphasized the need for expanding Red Crescent services in the region, by opening new centers and providing them with qualified personnel and equipment. “A joint team should study the region’s requirements,” he added.
Prince Saud also stressed the need to establish helipads at Hail hospitals to provide air ambulance services. At present only King Khaled Hospital in Hail has a helipad.
Meanwhile, reports said two students who were supposed to get onto the doomed minibus that was involved in an accident with a four-wheel drive vehicle on Sunday escaped death as they got up late and could not catch the bus.
Another student was literally saved by the bell. Because the doorbell at her house malfunctioned, she could not join her friends on the minibus. The bus driver had pressed the bell several times to indicate that the bus had arrived, but God saved her.
A large number of people attended the funeral prayers for the 12 students at Barzan mosque. Witnesses said more than 10,000 people including Hail University officials, teachers and students took part in the funeral prayer.
