Saudi Arabia Bus Accident: At least 20 Umrah pilgrims were killed and 29 were injured in a bus crash in Saudi Arabia as a bus crashed southwest of Saudi Arabia on Monday.
The bus that crashed and caught fire was transporting passengers to Mecca, including pilgrims on their way to perform Umrah, a minor Muslim pilgrimage.
As a result of a brake failure, a bus travelling to the holy city of Mecca collided with a bridge, overturned, and caught fire, according to Gulf News.
Saudi Arabia: 20 Umrah pilgrims killed and over 30 injured in a horrific bus accident in Saudi Arabia. pic.twitter.com/iqrtuLnqUE
— FM News (@fmnews_in) March 28, 2023
“According to preliminary information we have now received,” the state-affiliated Al-Ekhbariya channel reported, “the number of deaths in this accident reached 20, and the total number of injuries was approximately 29.”
The incident in Asir’s southern province occurred during Ramadan, the holy month when Muslims perform Umrah (pilgrimage).
In October 2019, a bus collided with another heavy vehicle near Medina, killing at least 35 foreigners and injuring four others.
Saudi Arabia Bus Accident:
The Umrah pilgrimage can be performed at any time of year, but many people prefer to do it during Ramadan, which began last week.
The victims were travelling to Mecca to perform Umrah. The injured were transported to nearby medical facilities for treatment.
According to Gulf News, teams from the Red Crescent Authority and Saudi civil defence arrived quickly at the scene of the accident and roped off the area.
A Bus Carrying Umrah Pilgrims Have Met With An Accident Colliding With a Bridge. At Least 20 People Were Killed and About 29 People Were Injured in the Accident in Saudi Arabia. pic.twitter.com/hc3Yx42rYO
— Asif Rashid (@asifras362) March 28, 2023
According to the media, the majority of the passengers are Saudi citizens of various nationalities.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has issued new photography and videography guidelines for pilgrims visiting the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madina. The new rules were announced with the sanctity of the holy sites in mind.
“In the Two Holy Mosques, we take the sanctity of the place into account, so we have photography etiquette, and we preserve the rights of others,” the ministry said in a statement released on Twitter.
