On the night of 17 November 2025, at approximately 1:30 AM (Indian time), a devastating road accident occurred about 25 km from Madinah on the Makkah-Madinah highway in Saudi Arabia, claiming the lives of 45 people.
SNPNEWS.IN (Gurmail Kamboj): At around 1:30 AM (Indian time) on 17 November, a bus carrying Indian Umrah pilgrims from Makkah to Madinah collided with a diesel tanker. The collision caused the bus to catch fire instantly, killing more than 45 people. Most of the deceased were Indian citizens, the majority of whom belonged to Telangana (Hyderabad). The accident took place on the route from Makkah to Madinah, approximately 25 km before reaching Madinah.
According to Saudi authorities, the passenger bus was stopped near Mufrihat when a fuel tanker rammed into it from behind, triggering an explosion and rapid spread of fire. Most passengers were asleep at the time, making it extremely difficult for them to escape.
The bus was carrying 46 passengers in total:
- 18 men
- 18 women
- 5 girls
- 5 boys
These pilgrims had arrived in Jeddah from Hyderabad on 9 November and were scheduled to return to India on 23 November. Only one person, Mohammad Abdul Shoaib, survived the accident and is currently receiving treatment in hospital.
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In Hyderabad, families are gradually receiving confirmation of the tragedy and are plunged into deep grief. One family reported that 7 of their members were on the bus, of whom only one survived. The Telangana government has set up a control room and is working to provide all possible assistance to the affected families.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy have expressed deep condolences over the incident. The Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate in Jeddah have established a 24×7 helpline number (8002440003). Full assistance is being provided for the treatment of the injured and the repatriation of the bodies.