In a tragic incident, more than 40 Indian Umrah pilgrims were reportedly killed after a Medina-bound bus collided with a diesel tanker in Saudi Arabia. The accident happened near Mufrihat, and the pilgrims were returning from Mecca. Authorities are assessing the situation, and further details are awaited as rescue and identification efforts continue.
Tragic Bus Accident Near Medina
According to NDTV, at least 42 Indians died in the bus-tanker accident near Medina. The accident, which occurred near Mufrihat on Monday around 1.30 AM IST, resulted in a major fire, causing extensive casualties and injuries. While the exact number of passengers on the bus remains unclear, many of those who died are believed to be Indian nationals.
As per the Telangana Information Technology Minister D. Sridhar Babu, at least 16 of the victims were residents of Hyderabad, most of them from the Bazarghat area of Mallepalli. Saudi officials are currently in the process of verifying the identities of the deceased.
The group had reportedly left Hyderabad on November 9 and was returning to Medina after performing Umrah in Mecca when the accident occurred. Most passengers were asleep at the time, leaving them little chance to escape when the bus caught fire following the collision.
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Helplines Issued By The Authorities
While local authorities are still verifying the number of casualties, some reports suggest that the bus accident near Medina has claimed the lives of at least 11 women and 10 children. According to the rescue teams, the bus was completely burnt, thus making identification of the victims very difficult.
The Indian Embassy in Jeddah has set up a 24/7 helpline for families of those affected by the Medina bus accident. In a post on X, they said, “In view of a tragic bus accident near Madina, Saudi Arabia, involving Indian Umrah pilgrims, a 24×7 Control Room has been set up in the Consulate General of India, Jeddah. The contact details of the Helpline are as under: Toll free number- 8002440003.”
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More information on this is awaited.
Cover Image Courtesy: X/@hassanxrazaa & Canva Pro/akaratwimages (representative image)
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