Two Indian families are grappling with an unbearable loss after a tragic car crash in Dubai claimed the lives of their loved ones on December 23, 2023.
Radha Krishna and Senthil Kumar, both friends and longtime residents of the UAE in their fifties, perished when the car they were traveling in lost control on Sheikh Zayed Road near Dubai Parks & Resorts.
The accident took place while the two men, along with a driver, were on their way to Abu Dhabi. The driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle, which resulted in the deadly crash.
Fortunately, H.B., another close friend of the victims, survived the crash along with the driver, who sustained multiple injuries and spent several days in the hospital.
The three men had recently joined a real estate company in Abu Dhabi and had been commuting together regularly.
More than a month after the accident, the families of the victims are still coming to terms with the overwhelming grief. Senthil Kumar’s wife, Sathya, from Tamil Nadu, has been struggling to understand the abruptness of the loss.
In an emotional conversation with Khaleej Times, she recalled the ordinary morning of the accident. “That morning, I packed his lunch — rice, veggies, and some fruit — never imagining it would be the last meal he’d carry to work,” she said, choking back tears.
“We built a life here over the past decade, thinking of Dubai as home. Now, everything we worked for feels meaningless.”
Meanwhile, Krishna’s wife, Vijaya, who lives in Hyderabad, is still in shock. She had visited her husband in Dubai just months before the crash, during the summer of 2024.
“My husband was always careful about safety. We never thought something like this could happen,” she said. “In one moment, our world collapsed. My children and I are still struggling to accept that he won’t walk through that door again.”
H.B., who was in the back seat at the time of the crash, shared a chilling account of the moments leading up to the tragedy. In an interview with Khaleej Times, he described how the driver suddenly lost consciousness.
“Radha, who was in the front seat, tried to wake him, even slapped him twice, but he didn’t respond. The car was speeding. He reached for the steering wheel, but it was too late,” H.B. recalled.
“Everything after that was a blur. The car swerved and crashed into the divider. I must have blacked out.”
The bodies of both victims were flown back to India and were cremated five days after the crash. Sathya, still struggling with the painful reality of her husband’s death, spoke to Khaleej Times, saying, “No family should have to endure what we are going through.”
As both families continue to mourn their untimely loss, the community is left in shock over the senseless tragedy. The fate of the driver, still recovering from his injuries, remains uncertain, and authorities continue to investigate the cause of the crash.