Tributes paid to taxi driver with ‘kindest soul’ who died in Greater Manchester crash
The daughter of a taxi driver killed in a head-on crash in Greater Manchester has paid tribute to her father, describing him as “the kindest soul”.
Manchester Police (GMP) said Masrob Ali, 54, died when his Citroen C4 Picasso taxi collided with a red Seat Leon on Wigan Road in Bolton in the early hours of Sunday morning.
All three young people on the seat lost their lives.
On Monday, the trio, consisting of a driver and two passengers, were identified by police as Muhammad Jibrael Mukhtar (18), Farhan Patel (18) and Muhammad Danyaal (19).
Ali’s 29-year-old daughter Humayra Ali told BBC Manchester: “This is absolutely devastating. We are all in shock, even denial.
“I feel like it’s a bad dream I’m about to wake up from.
“He was a really good man, anyone could say that.
“Everyone who knew him says he was a kind, very generous man with a big heart.
“People came back to tell me that he had such a kind soul, he was a hard worker, and he was a hard worker until his last breath.”
“We are trying to speed up the process so that the funeral can be held as soon as possible,” he said.
Bolton Mosques Council, which named the three young men on Sunday, said in a statement that it was closely supporting the families of the victims.
Families are also supported by specially trained officers, GMP said.
5 passengers in both vehicles were injured and were treated in hospital.
A 29-year-old woman suffered life-threatening injuries in the Citroen, while a 28-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man were also seriously injured. The young man named (29) was slightly injured.
An 18-year-old man, who was also a passenger in the seat, remains hospitalized for minor injuries.
A woman living in Wigan Road said she was woken up by a “loud explosion” and when she looked out of her bedroom window she saw “some debris” on the road.
He also saw a red car that was “really damaged.”
A male resident didn’t see what happened but heard a “car speeding up.”
Footage posted online from a nearby property showed a head-on collision before both cars and debris were sent flying in different directions.
Detective Inspector Andrew Page, from GMP’s serious collision investigation unit, said: “I would like to thank first responders and the road policing unit in our Bolton area for their hard work since this incident, alongside colleagues from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and North West Ambulance Service.”
Local councilor Ayyub Patel said the “community is deeply saddened by this tragic news”, adding that it should be left to the authorities to conduct investigations.
Anyone with information or footage of the incident is asked to contact police on 0161 856 4741 using the 111 log number of 01/01/2026 or to contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
