King Hassan condoles families of tragic road accident victims

King Hassan II has sent letters of condolence to the families of the pupils who died in a tragic road accident near Casablanca last week. The letters, signed by King Hassan II, express to the bereaved families the king's solicitude and compassion. "In order to alleviate this misfortune that has befallen you, we have decided to grant one of your children (...) a yearly scholarship worth 60,000 dh ($6,000) from our own funds. The scholarship will be granted annually till the end of the child's studies," King Hassan II said in the letters that were conveyed to the victims' families by Abdelkerim Bennani, assistant director of the king's secretariat. "We hope that this act will make you feel all our compassion for this misfortune that we share with you," the King said. The accident claimed the lives of 12 people when a lorry and a bus collided. Six pupils, four teachers and the bus and lorry drivers died in the collision. The bus was carrying back home pupils who had participated in the Moroccan schools sports championships in Agadir (southern Morocco).

Some 35 others were seriously injured in the accident imputed to excessive speed.