Saudi Arabia Bus Accident Live: All 45 Killed Confirmed to Be Hyderabad Pilgrims

The Telangana Haj Committee on Monday confirmed that all 45 people who died in the devastating bus accident in Saudi Arabia were pilgrims from Hyderabad, bringing clarity amid earlier confusion over the casualty count. Authorities said detailed information on the deceased would be released shortly.

According to officials, the pilgrims were travelling through four different tour operators. The group had completed the Mecca leg of their pilgrimage and was en route to Medina when their bus collided with a diesel tanker at Mufrihat, around 25 km from Medina. The collision triggered a massive fire, leaving no survivors among the 45 passengers onboard.

The victims included 17 men and 28 women, all residents of various localities in Hyderabad such as Mallepally, Bazaarghat, and Asifnagar, the Haj Committee said.

Pilgrimage Details

Hyderabad City Police said the group initially consisted of 54 pilgrims who departed from Hyderabad to Jeddah on November 9 for a tour scheduled till November 23. Of them:

Four individuals travelled to Medina separately by car,

Four others stayed back in Mecca,

The remaining 46 pilgrims proceeded to Medina by bus.

At the time of the accident, 45 passengers were on board; only one person — Abdul Shoaib — managed to escape. He is currently undergoing treatment at a local hospital, Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar said.

The crash occurred at approximately 1:30 a.m. IST, when the bus rammed into the tanker. The impact led to an immediate blaze that rapidly engulfed the vehicle. Officials noted that many of the passengers were asleep, which contributed to the high fatality count.

The Indian Embassy in Jeddah has established a control room to monitor the situation and coordinate assistance. Rescue and identification operations are still underway at the site.

Leaders Condemn Tragedy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing deep grief on social media, extended condolences to the bereaved families and wished for the speedy recovery of the injured survivor. He said the Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate in Jeddah were providing all necessary support and were in constant contact with Saudi authorities.

Senior leaders and community representatives across the country also expressed shock and sympathy, describing the incident as one of the most tragic accidents involving Indian pilgrims in recent times.