Saudi Arabia Bus Crash: 45 Indians on Umrah Pilgrim Die
A tragic bus accident in Saudi Arabia claimed the lives of at least 45 Umrah pilgrims, one survivor has been reported, while families and leaders in India mourn the huge loss.
A tragic accident struck Indian Umrah pilgrims in Saudi Arabia on the morning of the 17th when at least 45 pilgrims, most of them from Telangana’s Hyderabad and nearby areas, lost their lives. The bus carrying them from Mecca to Madinah collided with a tanker, leading to a massive fire.
The group of 54 pilgrims had begun their journey from Hyderabad on 9th November and had completed their Umrah rituals in Mecca. While four pilgrims chose to travel to Madinah by car and four stayed back in Mecca for personal reasons, the remaining 46 boarded the ill-fated bus. The accident took place around 1.30 am at Mufrihat, nearly 160 km from Madinah.
The fire spread so quickly after the collision that most passengers could not escape. Only one survivor is known so far 24-year-old Md Abdul Shoeb, who managed to jump out of the window along with the driver before the fire erupted. Shoeb, currently in ICU, lost his parents, grandfather, and three members of his uncle’s family.
Among the victims were 18 members of one Hyderabad-based family, including nine children. Syed Rashid, who lost 18 relatives, shared that he had advised them not to travel together, a warning he now wishes they had followed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sadness and said the Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate in Jeddah are providing all assistance. Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy also conveyed his sorrow and instructed officials to support the families. The Telangana government announced ?5 lakh compensation for the victims’ families.
