At least 42 Indian nationals were killed when a bus carrying Umrah pilgrims collided with a tanker near Madinah in Saudi Arabia.According to a report by NDTV World on Monday (17 November), the bus caught fire following the collision, resulting in the deaths of 42 passengers. Most of the victims were residents of the Hyderabad region in Telangana, India. Fire service teams, rescue workers, and police rushed to the scene shortly after the accident. India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy. He stated that the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate in Jeddah were actively coordinating assistance for the families of the deceased as well as for the injured. He offered condolences to the bereaved families and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

A 24-hour control room has been set up at the Indian Consulate in Jeddah to handle emergency support related to the accident.

The crash occurred around 1:30 AM on Sunday (16 November) at a location known as Mufrihat. The passengers were returning to Madinah from Makkah after completing Umrah rituals. Local media reported that most passengers were asleep at the time of the accident.