BREAKING 45 killed in horror Saudi Arabia crash as bus catches fireplace with sole survivor in hospital
Forty-five people have been killed in a horror crash in Saudi Arabia with the sole survivor now in intensive care in a local hospital.
The tragedy occurred near Medina in Saudi Arabia, with the bus carrying 46 Indian pilgrims mostly who are from Hyderabad, which is in southern Telangana state, the police commissioner of India’s Hyderabad city has said.
VC Sajjanar spoke in a press conference, adding that one man who survived the accident has been admitted to an intensive care unit in a local hospital. The pilgrims were travelling from the Islamic holy city of Mecca to Medina when the horror unfolded, the Telangana government said in a press statement.
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
They had gone to Saudi Arabia for the Umrah pilgrimage, which is a shorter version of Hajj, the biggest Islamic pilgrimage. Mr Sajjanar said that an oil tanker was involved in the incident, however, no more details were released.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “deeply saddened” by the news of the accident in a post on X, adding that Indian authorities are in close contact with officials in Saudi Arabia. He wrote: “Our Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate in Jeddah are providing all possible assistance.”
Control rooms have been set up in Jeddah and Hyderabad to assist the families of the victims.
Asaduddin Owaisi, a lawmaker who represents Hyderabad in parliament, told news agency ANI he has requested the federal government to help bring the bodies of the victims back to India.
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Mr Sajjanar said 54 people had travelled from Hyderabad to Jeddah on November 9 for the pilgrimage. Four people are said to have stayed back in Mecca while four went to Medina by car. The remaining 46 people travelled on the bus.
Distraught relatives have been speaking to the media. Mohammed Tehseen, a resident of Hyderabad, told ANI seven of his relatives were on the bus. He said he found out about the tragedy when he received a call from his relative, Shoaib, who survived the accident and is in hospital.
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