The bus was reportedly on its way from Mecca to Medina when the crash happened around 1.30 am IST. Most passengers who were on the bus were from Hyderabad in Telangana.
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Medina Bus-Tanker Crash Kills 45 Umrah Pilgrims
A bus carrying Umrah pilgrims collided with a diesel tanker near Medina, killing at least 45 people, including around 42 Indian nationals, according to local Saudi media. The bus was on its way from Mecca to Medina when the crash occurred around 1:30 am IST near Mufrihat. Most passengers on board were from Hyderabad in Telangana, Khaleej Times reported. The group was returning from Mecca after completing their rituals and was travelling toward Medina at the time of the accident. According to a Gulf News report, many passengers were asleep during the journey. Leaving them little chance to escape when the bus burst into flames after the collision.
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Government Issues Helplines
The report said at least 11 women and 10 children were among the victims, though authorities are still verifying the numbers. Rescue teams said the bus was completely charred, making identification of victims extremely challenging. Reports claimed one person, Mohd Abdul Shoiab, has survived and is in hospital. However, his condition is unknown. The Telangana government has said it is in contact with the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, and Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has asked officials in New Delhi to coordinate closely with embassy authorities. The government also has the Resident Commissioner to collect the details of the number of victims from Telangana in the accident, and a control room has been set up in the state secretariat.
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