Over 40 Indian Umrah pilgrims reportedly dead after bus crash in Madinah

Several Indian media outlets have reported a deadly road accident in the holy city of Madinah, where a bus carrying 43 Umrah pilgrims collided with a diesel tanker early Monday morning.

The bus caught fire and at least 42 pilgrims are feared dead. The crash reportedly took place near Mufrihat. Most of the victims are reported to be from Hyderabad, India.

Although Saudi authorities have not yet issued an official statement, one Indian media outlet reported that the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, along with the travel agency that arranged the trip, has confirmed the incident.

The exact death toll remains unverified, but women and children are believed to be among the victims. The pilgrims had completed their Umrah in Makkah and were travelling to Madinah at the time of the accident. Among the deceased were 20 women and 11 children. 

Following the tragedy, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister S Jaishankar each released statements offering condolences to the victims.

Modi assured the public that the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate in Jeddah would facilitate the repatriation of the victims' bodies and keep their families in India informed.

He expressed his grief, saying "Deeply saddened by the accident in Medinah involving Indian nationals. My thoughts are with the families who have lost their loved ones. I pray for the swift recovery of all those injured," he added.