At least 42 Umrah pilgrims from Hyderabad are feared dead after a bus travelling from Makkah to Madinah collided with a diesel tanker in Saudi Arabia early Monday morning, according to multiple Indian and Saudi media outlets.
The incident has left families in the southern Indian city in deep shock as officials scramble to confirm the identities of the victims.
The crash occurred around 4.30am GMT in an area called Mufrihat, located about 160 kilometres from Madinah.
MediaOne TV reported that the bus was carrying 43 passengers and that only one person is believed to have survived. The survivor, whose identity has not been released, has been admitted to hospital.
Neither Saudi authorities nor Indian officials have shared details about the survivor’s condition.
According to officials, the group had completed the Umrah pilgrimage in Makkah and were travelling to Madinah to visit the Prophet’s Mosque, a common route for pilgrims. Among those on board were women, children, and elderly passengers.
Local sources said the bus caught fire immediately after it struck the tanker, leaving rescuers with almost no time to respond. The intensity of the blaze destroyed most of the vehicle, making identification of the bodies extremely challenging.
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Saudi Civil Defence and police arrived at the scene shortly after the crash to extinguish the fire and begin recovery efforts. Images shared on social media showed the bus completely burned, with rescue workers searching through the debris.
Officials from the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and representatives of the Umrah travel agency that organised the trip also visited the site to gather information and coordinate with Saudi authorities.
Indian officials said they were in close contact with Saudi agencies handling the recovery process. “We are verifying the details and gathering confirmed information before releasing any official list,” one embassy representative said. The process is expected to take time because many of the bodies were severely burnt, making visual identification impossible.
In Hyderabad, families of the pilgrims spent the day trying to contact travel agents, government offices, and fellow pilgrims in Saudi Arabia. Many said they were unable to reach their relatives since the news broke. Local mosques and community organisations reported a constant flow of people seeking help in finding out whether their loved ones were among the victims.
Relatives described the situation as “agonising” because no official list of the dead or injured had been released until late Monday morning. Several families gathered outside the offices of the Umrah operator in Hyderabad, hoping for any confirmed update. Volunteers from community groups also stepped in to assist, helping families contact officials and collect documents that may be required later for identification.
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy said he was “deeply disturbed” by the reports and directed senior state officials to immediately verify the details. He also instructed them to coordinate with India’s Ministry of External Affairs and Saudi authorities to ensure support for affected families. The state government has opened a dedicated control room in Hyderabad to provide verified information and assist relatives with documentation and communication.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs is monitoring the situation and is expected to release a detailed statement once Saudi authorities complete the initial verification. So far, no official explanation for the crash has been shared, and an investigation into the collision is underway.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the travel agency involved have confirmed the accident. Further details are expected in the coming days, especially as authorities begin the formal identification process and prepare to notify families.
