Madinah: Around 42 Umrah pilgrims from Hyderabad are feared to have lost their lives after a passenger bus en route from Mecca to Madinah collided with a diesel tanker in the early hours of Monday.
Initial reports indicate that the crash took place at about 1.30 am IST in the Mufrihat area. MediaOne reported that the bus had 43 passengers on board, with only one survivor, who has been taken to hospital.
Sources said the group included women and children, with early information pointing to about 20 women and 11 children among those on board. The pilgrims had completed their Umrah rituals in Mecca and were travelling to Madinah when the crash occurred. Many were reportedly asleep at the moment of impact.
Local reports put the death toll at 42, though officials are still verifying the exact number of casualties. Emergency teams are engaged in recovery operations, and further details are awaited.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, along with the travel agency, has confirmed the accident. No official statement has yet been issued on the cause of the collision, MediaOne reported.