Three Dead After Multi Vehicle Collision In Desert Fog On Highway, Emergency Crews Respond Near Riyadh

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia— A multi-vehicle highway collision in desert fog left three dead near Riyadh Wednesday morning, shutting down the main highway to Qassim and triggering a large emergency response.

Saudi Gazette reported the crash occurred at 6:15 a.m. on Highway 65, 80 kilometers north of Riyadh. Fog had reduced visibility to under 20 meters. Drivers were traveling at high speed despite warnings.

Traffic police said a truck slowed suddenly. Five cars behind it braked late and collided in a chain. A second truck then slammed into the pile. Three vehicles caught fire. The wreck stretched 300 meters across both lanes.

Three men died inside two sedans crushed between trucks. Their bodies were recovered after firefighters cut through metal. Five others were injured, two critically with burns and fractures. They were airlifted to King Saud Medical City.

Colonel Abdullah Al-Qahtani of Highway Security said fog is common in this corridor during late October mornings. He said patrols had activated fog lights and variable speed signs an hour earlier. He said some drivers ignored the 80 km/h limit.

The highway was fully closed until 11:30 a.m. Traffic was diverted to old Qassim Road, causing 15-kilometer queues. Civil Defense used foam to extinguish vehicle fires and cleared spilled diesel. Cranes removed wrecked trucks by noon.

Witnesses said visibility was zero. One driver said he saw taillights at the last second. Another said cars were driving with hazard lights off. Police collected dashcam footage from 12 vehicles.

The deceased were Saudi nationals aged 24, 33, and 41. Families were notified Wednesday afternoon. The Public Prosecution opened an investigation into reckless driving in low visibility conditions.

Highway authorities urged drivers to delay travel during desert fog and use fog lights. The stretch near Riyadh has seen three fatal fog crashes this year. The investigation continues.