45 pilgrims from India lose lives in Madina collision

43 of the deceased were from Hyderabad. 10 kids, 18 women among victims

- Agencies

A bus-tanker collision near Madina early Monday claimed the lives of at least 45 Indian Umrah pilgrims, most of them from Hyderabad. Only one passenger, Shoaib, survived after managing to break a window and jump out of the burning bus. The accident took place around 1.30 am, when the bus collided with a diesel tanker 25 km from the holy city.

The survivor has been admitted to a Saudi hospital ICU and is in critical condition.

Hyderabad City Police Commissioner V. C. Sajjanar said the group had travelled to Jeddah on November 9 and was scheduled to return on November 23. Of the 54 pilgrims, eight were in other parts of Saudi Arabia, while 46 were on the bus at the time of the crash. Among these 46 passengers, 43 were from Hyderabad, two from Cyberabad and one from Hubballi in Karnataka. The group included 18 men, 18 women and 10 children.

As many as 18 members of a family across three generations were in the bus, relatives said.