A tragic bus accident near Medina, Saudi Arabia, has claimed the lives of 42 Indian Umrah pilgrims. The incident occurred around 1:30 AM Indian Standard Time on Sunday night (November 16), when the bus traveling from Mecca to Medina collided with a diesel tanker in the Mufrihat area, resulting in an explosion.
It is believed that there were a total of 43 passengers on the bus. Only 24-year-old Mohammed Abdul Shoaib survived the accident. Shoaib, a resident of Hyderabad, was sitting behind the driver’s seat at the time of the collision. He was rescued and admitted to a hospital. Further details about his condition have not yet been released.
According to a report by NDTV, the Indian Consulate in Jeddah has set up a control room to assist victims and monitor the situation. They are also in touch with the families of the deceased.
Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, who is on a visit to Russia, expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy. He confirmed that the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate in Jeddah are providing all possible support to the affected families.
The Hindustan Times reported that Telangana’s Information Technology Minister D. Sridhar Babu stated that at least 16 of the deceased were residents of Hyderabad, specifically from the Mallepally Bazaarghat area of the state.
