At least 42 Umrah pilgrims from Hyderabad are feared dead after a passenger bus travelling from Mecca to Madinah collided with a diesel tanker early Monday morning. Preliminary reports indicate that the accident occurred around 1.30 am IST in an area identified as Mufrihat.
According to MediaOne, there were 43 passengers on board, and only one person is believed to have survived. The lone survivor has been admitted to a hospital.
Sources said the victims were from Hyderabad, and the group included women and children. Early information suggests that among the 43 passengers, there were around 20 women and 11 children.
The pilgrims had completed their Umrah rituals in Mecca and were on their way to Madinah when the tragedy occurred. Many of them were reportedly asleep at the time of impact.
Local sources have reported 42 fatalities, but officials are still verifying the exact number of casualties and assessing the condition of the survivors. Emergency teams are currently engaged in recovery operations, and more details are awaited.
There is no official statement yet on the cause of the crash, but both the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the travel agency have confirmed the accident, MediaOne TV reported.
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