Truck crashes into water project in Tuz Khurmatu

TUZ KHURMATU — A truck veered off the road and plunged into a water project site in Tuz Khurmatu, leaving the driver seriously injured and unconscious. A passenger who was in the vehicle managed to escape unharmed.

Mariwan Nureddin, an eyewitness near the scene, told 964media, “When the truck fell into the water project, we rushed to assist the driver and the other passenger to prevent from being drowned.”

According to Nureddin, they successfully rescued the passenger and transported the injured driver for medical attention.

Muayyad Abbas, the head of Tuz Khurmatu Traffic Department, told 964media, “It is unclear whether the driver fell asleep, was under the influence of alcohol, or was affected by another factor. An investigation into the incident is underway.”

Rescue teams are currently working to remove the truck from the water project site.

In 2023, Iraq recorded 11,552 traffic accidents, leading to 3,019 deaths and 12,314 injuries. This marked a slight rise from 2022, which saw 11,523 accidents and 3,021 fatalities. Approximately 79% of the incidents were attributed to driver error, while vehicle malfunctions and poor road conditions accounted for the remainder.