Bus collision in Oman kills at least 18

A bus travelling through western Oman's desert crashed into a truck, and a passing car later slammed into the wreckage early on Tuesday morning, killing at least 18 people and injuring 16 others, police said.

The fatal collision took place at around 1:00am, near the Nahdah area on the road connecting the cities of Fahud and Ibri, west of the capital, Muscat.

A police spokesperson said those hurt in the crash had injuries ranging from serious to minor and had been transported to hospitals throughout the sultanate.

Omani police later issued a statement via Instagram saying their initial investigation led them to believe the bus and the truck had a head-on collision at a traffic roundabout on the road, while the car later crashed into the wreckage.

Police officers from Muscat arrived at the scene via helicopter, while workers from Petroleum Development Oman also aided rescuers, authorities said.

Police said six of the dead were from Oman, four were from Saudi Arabia, two were from Pakistan and one was from Yemen. Five others were as yet unidentified.

Among the injured, 11 were from Oman, two were Saudis, one was Pakistani, one was Chinese and one remained unidentified.

Traffic crashes are not uncommon in the Gulf states. Many drivers break speed limits on long desert highways, and the societal characteristic of being a melting pot of foreign cultures means there is a great variety of driving standards and habits.

In February 2013, at least 22 migrant workers died when a gravel-filled truck with faulty brakes rammed into a bus near in Al Ain, an Emirati city on the Omani border.

In May the following year, 15 migrant workers died in a bus crash in Dubai.