Hyderabad: At least 42 people died in a bus and tanker collision near Medina in Saudi Arabia. Local reports said many of the dead were Indian Umrah pilgrims from Hyderabad. The accident took place near Mufrihat at around 1.30 am IST. The group was returning from Mecca after completing Umrah rituals and was on the way to Medina when the bus struck a diesel tanker and caught fire.
Reports from Gulf News said many passengers were asleep during the collision. The bus went up in flames within minutes. Rescue teams said the vehicle was completely charred. Identification of the victims is proving difficult. Local media said the dead include 11 women and 10 children. The numbers are still being verified.
One survivor, Mohd Abdul Shoiab, is in hospital. His condition is not known. At least 16 pilgrims who travelled through two Hyderabad based agencies, Al Meena Hajj and Umrah Travels, were among those who died. Families in Telangana are seeking information as officials collect details from Saudi authorities.
The Telangana government said it is in contact with the Indian Embassy in Riyadh. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy asked his team in New Delhi to coordinate with the embassy. A control room has been set up at the state secretariat. The state released two helpline numbers, 7997959754 and 9912919545, for families of the victims.
The Indian Embassy in Jeddah also opened a 24×7 control room. It issued a toll free number, 8002440003, for assistance. Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi said 42 pilgrims were on the bus. He said he is in touch with embassy officials and requested the central government to bring the bodies back to India and ensure medical care for the injured.
Foreign Minister S Jaishankar expressed grief over the deaths. He said Indian missions are supporting affected families and monitoring the situation.
