Sunday, Jan 05, 2014
Manama: An Egyptian woman went from being a newlywed to a widow one hour before she was scheduled to land in Saudi Arabia after her new husband was killed in a road accident.
The groom, Ali Mohammad Ali Atta, was driving his car to Al Qasim airport to pick up his bride who was on the last leg of a flight from Egypt when he had a fatal accident. A relative who was with him was critically injured in the crash in which the Saudi driver of the other car was also killed, Saudi daily Al Watan reported on Sunday.
Egyptian diplomats were informed about the crash and they in turn contacted the airport authorities to tell them about the bride’s arrival.
When the young woman arrived at the airport, wearing her bridal dress as is customary for Egyptian brides who wait until their Saudi entry visas are processed to join their husbands and start their married lives together, she went through the police check and walked to the arrival hall. However, she was shocked that her groom was not waiting for her.
As she was pondering about the possible reasons for not showing up on such an auspicious occasion, she was approached by a Saudi officer who gently told her that there was a mistake with her visa and that she had to fly back to Egypt until it is sorted out.
The officer told her that her family in Al Mahalla had been informed about the visa issue and that they would be waiting for her at the Cairo airport.
Sources told the daily that the authorities at Al Qasim airport had agreed not to inform the bride about the tragic death of her groom. They decided that she should be surrounded by her family when she learns the terrible truth.
By Habib Toumi Bureau Chief
Gulf News 2014. All rights reserved.
