Saturday, March 29, 2025
A tragic bus accident in Saudi Arabia has claimed 42 lives, leaving only one young Indian man as the sole survivor. The victims were pilgrims from Telangana who were traveling from Mecca to Medina for Umrah. The accident occurred when their bus collided with a stationary diesel tanker, triggering a massive explosion and fire.
Out of the 45 pilgrims onboard, 24-year-old Mohammad Abdul Shoaib from Hyderabad was the only person who managed to survive the devastating crash. According to available information, Shoaib was seated on the driver’s side of the bus. At the moment of the collision, he was thrown forward due to the impact — a factor that saved him from being trapped in the flames.
Though he sustained injuries, Shoaib avoided the fatal fire that engulfed the bus. He is currently hospitalized in Saudi Arabia, where he is undergoing treatment.
The passengers were residents of Hyderabad’s Bazar Ghat and Vidyannagar areas. They had traveled to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah. The tragedy struck while they were en route from Mecca to Medina. The bus crashed into a diesel tanker parked along the highway, resulting in a horrifying explosion. Both vehicles were immediately consumed by fire.
Most passengers were asleep at the time of the accident, leaving them with no chance to escape. Within moments, the raging flames claimed 42 lives. Two other passengers survived the initial impact but are critically injured.
The Saudi authorities have launched an investigation to determine:
Whether the tanker was parked or moving
Whether the bus driver was speeding
Whether driver fatigue contributed to the accident
The pilgrims were traveling through two agencies — Al-Meena Hajj & Umrah Travels.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy expressed deep condolences.
Indian officials in Riyadh and Jeddah were immediately notified and have been coordinating with Saudi authorities.
Due to the severe condition of the remains, authorities used DNA testing to identify the victims. The process of repatriating the bodies to India has begun.
The Telangana government has opened a control room and issued emergency helplines:
📞 7997959754, 9912919545
The accident occurred on a stretch of road in Saudi Arabia that has witnessed multiple fatal crashes in recent years, raising fresh concerns about road safety for pilgrims.
