Coastal Highway Tragedy: One Rider Dead, Passenger Critical After Motorcycle Crash Near Beirut

Beirut, Lebanon— One man was killed and another seriously injured Friday when their motorcycle crashed on the coastal highway north of Beirut, according to the Beirut police blotter.

The crash happened around 5:45 p.m. near the Khaldeh exit. Police said the motorcycle was heading south toward the capital. Traffic was heavy.

Witnesses said the bike veered across the center line. It clipped a guardrail and threw both occupants onto the asphalt. The motorcycle slid more than 40 meters.

Internal Security Forces arrived within minutes. They closed two lanes. The rider, aged 27, was pronounced dead at the scene. The blotter did not release his name pending family notification.

The passenger, 24, suffered head and chest trauma. Paramedics stabilized him on the roadside before transport. He was taken to Rafik Hariri University Hospital in critical condition.

“He was not wearing a helmet properly. The other one wasn’t at all,” a traffic officer said at the scene. Police said speed appears to be a factor, though the investigation is still underway.

Dashcam video circulating online shows vehicles swerving to avoid the wreckage. Police warned drivers to avoid sharing unverified footage. The highway was partially reopened after 90 minutes.

The coastal highway has seen a rise in fatal motorcycle crashes this year. Police said they logged 11 deaths on that stretch since June. Officers were collecting statements Friday evening. No other vehicles were involved.