Crash victim dies after nearly two years in coma in UAE

Abu Dhabi - He was returning after visiting his parents when the car, being driven by his friend, crashed into a road barrier.

A university student, who was in a comatose state for 19 months after a road accident, has died. The 23-year-old Arab man, Abu Baker Jamal, passed away in Al Ain Hospital on Thursday, where he was being treated for injuries sustained in a crash at the beginning of 2018. He had suffered a brain haemorrhage in the crash.

Jamal, who was pursuing an engineering course at a university in Dubai, had gone to Al Ain with a friend to see his parents. He spent a few hours with his parents and then left. The car, which was being driven by his friend, crashed into a road barrier in Al Ain's Jimi area and overturned.

He was rushed to Al Ain Hospital, where he slipped into a comatose state and was shifted to the intensive care unit. About a year later, he was transferred to a medium care unit, where he spent around seven months.

A source close to his family said Jamal, who seemed to be responding to the treatment over the past few weeks, was pronounced dead on Thursday afternoon. He said his family, "who had hopes that the young man would one day return home", was devastated on hearing about his death.

"Though Jamal couldn't speak, he was silently responding to his family and this gave them hope that he would one day wake up, get better and return home," said the source.

Jamal is survived by his parents and three sisters.

ismail@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi