RIYADH: A deadly accident involving a bus stuffed with Indian pilgrims killed at the least 45 individuals close to Saudi Arabia’s holy metropolis of Medina, Indian police stated on Monday (Nov 17), one of many deadliest crashes within the Gulf kingdom in years.
“The tragic bus accident involving Indian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia is deeply distressing,” VC Sajjanar, police commissioner for the town of Hyderabad, the place lots of the Indian residents had been reported to have come from, instructed reporters.
“Based on preliminary info, 46 individuals had been travelling within the bus on the time of the incident, and heartbreakingly, just one individual survived,” he stated.
Saudi officers haven’t offered a toll for the crash.
Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi supplied his condolences in a publish on social media, saying the Indian embassy was working with Saudi officers on the bottom.
“Deeply saddened by the accident in Medina involving Indian nationals. My ideas are with the households who’ve misplaced their family members,” the prime minister wrote on X.
“I pray for the swift restoration of all these injured. Our Embassy in Riyadh and consulate in Jeddah are offering all attainable help,” he added.
Highway crashes had been one of many biggest causes of accidents and fatalities in Saudi Arabia, in response to a 2023 UN assertion, which additionally stated the dominion had retained a excessive street fatality price in comparison with different high-income international locations.
Transporting worshippers round Saudi Arabia’s holy websites has ceaselessly confirmed harmful, significantly throughout the hajj, when roads could be chaotic with buses creating interminable site visitors jams.
Thousands and thousands additionally go to Saudi Arabia for the umrah pilgrimage, which occurs exterior of the hajj interval.
In March 2023, a bus ferrying pilgrims to the holy metropolis of Mecca burst into flames after a collision on a bridge, killing 20 individuals and injuring greater than two dozen others.
And in October 2019, some 35 foreigners had been killed and 4 others injured when a bus collided with one other heavy car close to Medina.
Pilgrimages are an integral part of Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning tourism sector that officers hope will assist diversify the dominion’s financial system away from fossil fuels.
The Gulf kingdom can be house to greater than two million Indian nationals who’ve lengthy performed a pivotal function in its labour market, serving to assemble lots of the nation’s mega-projects whereas sending billions of {dollars} in remittances again house annually.
Saudi Arabia and India have fostered a detailed relationship for many years.
India’s quickly creating financial system depends closely on petroleum imports, with Saudi Arabia ranked as its third-largest provider, in response to the Indian overseas ministry.
