A Story of Young Lives Lost

In Memory of My City’s Heartbreaking Bus Accident

“A school bus overturned on a road. Six lives were lost. Dozens more were injured, some critically.” This wasn’t just a random news headline — it was our story. It was my school, my community. It’s a feeling no one should ever know — the kind of heartache that feels like it’s physically breaking you in two.

Schools are supposed to be sanctuaries of learning, growth, and hope. They are places where futures are built, not where they are tragically cut short. This tragedy has left a permanent scar on my heart. I had heard stories like this before — bus accidents, tragedies, young lives lost — but I never imagined it would happen to us. To my school. To my teachers, people I sat next to in class, shared memories with.

As I sit here, trying to make sense of this nightmare, I’m overwhelmed by the fragility of life. One moment, these students were laughing, playing in the snow, and throwing snowballs at each other with joy. The next, they were gone. Their families will never hear their laughter again. Their classrooms will have empty seats. Their dreams will remain unfulfilled.

What Happened?

On Thursday evening, a bus carrying students from Kerman’s Farzanegan High School overturned near the Sirch intersection on the old Mahan-Kerman road. The students were returning from a recreational trip to Shahdad, a day that was supposed to be filled with joy and memories. Instead, it ended in unimaginable horror.

Several students hurt in school bus rollover crash in Kerman

Six lives were lost — four students, a school caretaker, and her 7-year-old son. Thirty-five others were injured, some fighting for their lives in hospitals. Investigations revealed that brake failure was a contributing factor. The bus driver has been arrested, and the school principal is under scrutiny. But arrests and investigations won’t bring back the lives that were lost.

The names of the victims haunt me:

• Maryam, 16 years old
• Parinaz, 17 years old
• Atena, 16 years old
• Dina, 16 years old
• Amirabbas, 7 years old
• Sedigheh Haj-Alizadeh, 34 years old

These were not just names. They were bright, beautiful souls with dreams and aspirations. They were someone’s children, siblings, and friends. And now, they are gone.

A School Tragedy That Shattered Us All

When I first heard the news from my friend, I couldn’t believe her. Was she making some sick joke? Maybe the news was fake. Perhaps she had heard it wrong. I thought it must have been another school, another city, another tragedy — not ours. Not my high school. It was impossible to accept that my school, the place where I spent my days laughing, learning, and growing, was now hit by such tragedy. I didn’t believe her. I refused to believe her.

But then I heard it again. From my cousin. From other friends. From the news. From the social media. Everywhere I turned, people were talking about it. My heart raced, my chest tightened. I rushed to the school, hoping it was all a mistake, hoping I’d wake up from this nightmare. But when I got there, I saw it with my own eyes.

People were gathering, crying, and condolence banners hung everywhere. The air was thick with grief, heavy with the weight of loss. It was surreal, like a scene from a horror movie. But this was real. This was my school, my community in tears. And finally, I had to accept it — this had really happened.

The next day, I went to the memorial service. I bought a few stems of narcissus flowers to pay my respects, to honor their memory. In our culture, these flowers are used in mourning ceremonies. Their delicate white petals and sweet fragrance are meant to bring comfort to the departed, a small gesture of love and remembrance. The scent of the flowers filled the air, a bittersweet reminder of the lives we had lost.

The service was for Mrs. Haj-Alizadeh and her 7-year-old son, Amirabbas. Mrs. Haj-Alizadeh had been the school caretaker, alongside her husband, Mr. Shourabadi. She was the kind of person who made everyone feel at home, always greeting us with a warm smile, always making sure students had everything they needed. Her little boy, Amirabbas, was her world — a bright, curious child who followed his mother everywhere. Wherever she went, he was by her side, his tiny hand clutching hers, his laughter echoing through the halls. That’s why he was with her on the trip. He wanted to be with his parents while they were looking after the students. They had no way of knowing that this trip would tear their family apart in the most tragic way imaginable.

Mr. Shourabadi had survived the accident, but his wife and son had not. When I saw him, my heart shattered into a million pieces. He was broken — physically, emotionally, spiritually. His face was bruised and swollen, his right eye gone, lost to the shards of shattered glass from the bus, his right hand wrapped in bandages, immobile, as if it too had given up. He was surrounded by people trying to comfort him, but no words could ease his pain.

Clutching the narcissus flowers tightly, I approached him to offer my condolences. I tried to say some comforting words as I was giving him the flowers. His hand shook violently as he tried to reach for them. It took everything in him just to lift his arm, to extend his fingers. With a shaky breath and tears streaming down his face, he finally took them. And then he broke down.

“She’s gone… she’s gone…” he sobbed, his voice cracking under the weight of his grief. He cried out loud, his sorrow echoing through the space, piercing through every heart present. We tried to calm him, to hold him, to offer some semblance of comfort. But how do you comfort a man who has lost his family? His wife, his child — all gone in an instant. His pain was raw, unfiltered, and unbearable to witness.

I thought about Mrs. Haj-Alizadeh, her kindness, her warmth. She was always there, greeting us with a smile, making sure we felt seen and cared for. And little Amirabbas — just 7 years old, full of life, with a future stolen before it could even begin.

I thought about the other victims too — Maryam, Parinaz, Atena, Dina. They were more than names. They were bright, beautiful souls with dreams and aspirations. They were someone’s children, siblings, friends. And now, they were gone.

This Isn’t Just an Accident — It’s a Systemic Failure

While it’s easy to label this as a tragic accident, the truth is that it’s a symptom of deeper systemic issues. How many times must we hear about poorly maintained vehicles, reckless driving, and inadequate road safety measures before we say enough?

The fact that brake failure was a factor in this accident is unacceptable. Buses transporting students should be subject to rigorous safety checks. Yet, time and again, we see outdated and poorly maintained vehicles on the road. Who is holding these companies accountable?

A Painful Reminder of Past Tragedies

This heartbreaking incident is a grim echo of the 1997 Sharif University bus accident, which claimed the lives of seven students returning from a mathematics competition. Among the survivors was Maryam Mirzakhani, who would go on to become a world-renowned mathematician. But not all stories have happy endings. For every Maryam, there are others whose potential was never realized, whose lives were cut tragically short.

This incident isn’t an isolated case. It is part of a disturbing pattern in which bus accidents are common in the country.

Below are just a few examples of the deadliest bus accidents in Iran over the past decade — incidents that should have been wake-up calls but were instead met with silence and inaction:

1. Neyriz Bus Accident — Fars Province (2016)

• Date: July 13, 2016
• Location: Neyriz Road, Fars Province
• Fatalities: 19
• Details: In this horrific accident, a bus carrying female students from Hormozgan Province, en route to Shiraz, overturned and plunged into a valley. Most victims were young girls who lost their lives due to brake failure and the driver’s loss of control.

2. Sanandaj-Kermanshah Road Accident (2018)

• Date: July 11, 2018
• Location: Sanandaj to Kermanshah Road
• Fatalities: 11
• Details: A fuel tanker collided with a passenger bus, causing a massive explosion. The intensity of the fire led to immediate fatalities. This accident highlighted the lack of safety measures in transporting hazardous materials.

3. Tehran-Jajroud Road Accident (2013)

• Date: September 11, 2013
• Location: Tehran to Jajroud Road
• Fatalities: 44
• Details: Two buses collided due to a tire burst and loss of control, resulting in a massive fire. This remains one of the deadliest road accidents in Iran’s history.

4. Islamic Azad University Bus Accident (2018)

• Date: December 25, 2018
• Location: Tehran to Islamic Azad University’s Science and Research Branch Road
• Fatalities: 10
• Details: A bus carrying students overturned due to brake failure and dangerous road curves, sparking widespread criticism of road safety management.

5. Savadkuh Road Accident — Mazandaran Province (2021)

• Date: September 15, 2021
• Location: Savadkuh Road, Mazandaran Province
• Fatalities: 16
• Details: A bus traveling from Tehran to Gonbad Kavous overturned due to slippery roads and excessive speed, resulting in immediate fatalities.

The Root of the Problem

What makes these accidents even more heartbreaking is that many of them are preventable. The factors contributing to these incidents are not new. Poor road infrastructure, lack of vehicle maintenance, and safety violations by transportation companies have been ongoing problems.

Additionally, the transportation system’s failure to modernize and adopt new safety measures contributes directly to the rising number of fatalities. For years, sanctions have crippled Iran’s ability to modernize its transportation system. Over 70% of our intercity buses are past their operational lifespan, worn down by years of use and inadequate maintenance. These vehicles, which should have been retired long ago, are still on the roads, carrying passengers who trust them to get home safely.

Sanctions have made it nearly impossible to import new buses or even the spare parts needed to keep existing ones running. The result is a fleet of vehicles held together by makeshift repairs and low-quality components. Brakes fail. Tires burst. Engines give out. And when these vehicles break down — often on dangerous, poorly maintained roads — the consequences are catastrophic.

The sanctions have also stifled innovation and modernization. While other countries adopt advanced safety technologies — electronic stability control, collision avoidance systems, and rigorous maintenance protocols — we are stuck with outdated, unreliable vehicles. The gap between what we have and what we need grows wider every year, and it is our children, our families, and our communities who pay the price.

The government’s inability to improve and maintain road infrastructure has also contributed to the increasing number of accidents. As a result, public transportation in Iran remains a major safety concern.

Accountability and Change: How We Can Prevent the Next Tragedy

This incident has shaken my community to its core, but it has also ignited a fire within us. We cannot let these lives be lost in vain. We must use this moment to demand change — not just for our school, but for every student, every family, and every community that relies on public transportation.

Here’s what we can do:

1. Demand Accountability: Authorities must thoroughly investigate this incident and hold all responsible parties accountable — not just the driver, but also the bus company and anyone else who failed in their duty to ensure safety.
2. Push for Better Infrastructure: We need safer roads, especially in areas prone to accidents. This includes better signage, regular maintenance, and improved emergency response systems.
3. Advocate for Stricter Safety Standards: Buses transporting students should be subject to mandatory safety inspections. Companies that fail to meet these standards should face severe penalties.
4. Raise Awareness: Share stories like mine. Talk about the importance of creating safer environments for students. They deserve the basic right to study and go to school without risking their lives.

Honoring the Lives Lost

To the families of the victims: I cannot imagine your pain, but I stand with you. Your children’s lives mattered. Their dreams mattered. And they will not be forgotten.

We must honor the lives lost by demanding accountability and change, by ensuring that no other family has to endure this pain. We can turn our grief into action and demand a safer, more just world for future generations.

Final Thoughts

The pain of this tragedy is unbearable. It feels like a part of us has been ripped away, leaving behind a void that can never be filled.

This tragedy has left a permanent scar on my heart. It has reminded me that life is fragile, that every moment is precious, and that we cannot take safety for granted.

As I write these words, my heart is heavy with grief and anger. Grief for the lives lost, for the dreams that will never be realized, and for the families left to pick up the pieces. Anger at a system that has failed us time and time again, at the negligence that has cost so many lives, and at the silence that has allowed this to continue. But grief and anger are not enough. We must channel these emotions into action. We must demand accountability, push for change, and ensure that no other community has to endure this pain.