Uber has issued a statement regarding the incident involving Habiba Al-Shama’a, known in the media as "the Girl of Al-Shorouk," who was reportedly the victim of a kidnapping attempt by an Uber driver, resulting in severe injuries that have left her in a critical condition. This incident has led to the involvement of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in the case.
In a formal statement released on Tuesday, Uber expressed its deep sorrow over the painful incident that Habiba Al-Shama’a experienced, highlighting the allegations of an attempted kidnapping by an Uber driver. The statement read: "We wish Habiba a speedy recovery, and we extend all our support to her and her family during this difficult time, reaffirming our full and deep respect for the feelings of the family and everyone affected by this tragic event that has pained us all."
Uber emphasized its respect for the investigations being conducted by the official authorities in Egypt, stating: "We take any incident that threatens safety very seriously, and we have a specialized team that follows strict procedures according to the company's global policies." They mentioned that an Incident Response Team (IRT) is available 24/7 to respond swiftly to any reported issues or incidents worldwide, and that the specialized team has been conducting internal investigations since the incident was reported.
Regarding the specific incident, Uber noted that the IRT mobilized immediately upon receiving the report, and contacted a family member to provide support. They stressed that they are cooperating with the relevant Egyptian authorities in supplying necessary information to assist with the investigations, adhering to very strict standards that drivers must comply with to be accepted and activate their accounts.
Uber confirmed that all rides are insured through a contract with an insurance company covering both the rider and the driver, and the insurance company is currently in contact with the involved parties to follow the necessary procedures.
It is worth noting that the incident occurred on Wednesday evening, and has been popularly referred to as "the Uber girl" or "the Girl of Al-Shorouk," named after the Al-Shorouk suburb in eastern Cairo, as it took place on the Cairo-Suez road within the jurisdiction of the Al-Shorouk Police Department.
According to Egyptian media, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi intervened in the case, reaching out to the girl's family to inquire about her condition, announcing that all necessary assistance for her treatment would be provided, and indicating the possibility of transferring her for treatment abroad if needed.
According to the sole official statement issued by the Egyptian Ministry of Interior, the Al-Shorouk Police Department received a report from a hospital regarding a girl residing in the area of the Police Department of Tagamo’a, who sustained head injuries and showed signs of altered consciousness. An eyewitness reportedly saw the girl jump from the back door of a speeding car on the Suez road and stopped to assist her; she informed him that the driver of the rideshare car attempted to harass her, prompting her to jump out of fear of being assaulted.
When confronted, the driver claimed that when he attempted to close the car windows and spray air freshener, he was surprised to see the woman jump from the vehicle, so he continued to drive without stopping for fear of being harmed, and legal measures were taken.
According to her uncle, the doctors treating the girl have stated that her health condition remains critical, emphasizing that they are unable to perform urgent surgery as her brain has shifted from its position, and there is internal bleeding and edema.
