45 Indian pilgrims die in bus-tanker crash near Medina
Jeddah: At least 45 Indian pilgrims were killed after their bus collided with a diesel tanker near the holy city of Medina in Saudi Arabia.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the bus was carrying Indian pilgrims from Makkah to Madina.
Police said the crash occurred in the early hours of Monday, at around 1:30am near Mufrihat, about 160km from Medina. Many passengers were asleep when the bus hit the tanker and burst into flames.
The only person who survived is receiving treatment at a hospital, VC Sajjanar, a top police official in India’s southern city of Hyderabad said. All the pilgrims were from Hyderabad in the Indian state of Telangana.
Rescue teams said the bodies were completely charred, making identification difficult. The Indian Consulate in Jeddah has set up a 24/7 control room for families, with a toll-free helpline at 8002440003.
A control room has also been set up by the Telangana Bhawan in New Delhi to coordinate operations and assist families of the victims in India.
