KARACHI: At least 42 Indian Umrah pilgrims from Hyderabad are feared dead after a passenger bus travelling from Mecca to Madinah collided with a diesel tanker early Monday morning. The accident occurred at around 1:00am Pakistan Standard Time (PST) in an area identified as Mufrihat, according to MediaOne.
The bus was carrying 43 passengers, and MediaOne states that only one individual is believed to have survived. The lone survivor has been admitted to a hospital for treatment.
MediaOne’s early information suggests that the group consisted largely of families, including a significant number of women and children. Preliminary estimates shared with the channel indicated that among the passengers were around 20 women and 11 children. Many of the travellers were reportedly asleep when the collision occurred.
The pilgrims had completed their Umrah rituals in Mecca and were heading toward Madinah at the time of the tragedy. Local sources cited by MediaOne reported 42 fatalities, though officials have yet to confirm the exact death toll. Emergency teams are currently carrying out recovery and identification efforts, and the condition of the survivor is being assessed.
The cause of the crash has not been officially established. However, MediaOne noted that both the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the travel agency connected to the group have confirmed the occurrence of the accident, with further details expected as authorities investigate.
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