ABHA: A police officer and two other people died when an alleged smuggler transporting Yemeni nationals crashed his vehicle into a police patrol in Al-Areeq in Asir’s Turaib Governorate at dawn on Sunday. Eleven people were also injured in the incident.

The driver was apparently driving at full speed with his lights off when he crashed into the patrol on the side of the road. The police officer who died was identified as Saed bin Ali Mutaih Al-Qanqiesh. The driver is in custody and a probe is under way.

According to security sources, several Saudi Red Crescent, Civil Defense and police patrols were sent to the scene. They managed to douse a fire caused by the accident and pulled the injured out of the wreckage so that they could be treated, according to a report in a local publication on Monday.

Ahmed Ibrahim Al-Asiri, spokesman of the Red Crescent in Asir, said five teams were sent to the accident site after a report was received at dawn on Sunday.

The vehicle had been carrying 14 passengers. Several people with light to medium injuries were taken to Mudah General Hospital and Khamees General Hospital.