British family killed in Makkah

Dubai: Five members of a British family were killed in a car crash while on pilgrimage in Makkah on Friday, leaving behind a one-year-old, British media reported.

Three generations of a Muslim Welsh family were in Saudi Arabia to make the minor pilgrimage, the Umrah, when the taxi they were traveling in hit a concrete bridge, somersaulted off the road and ended up in a ditch.

They were travelling to Jeddah to meet relatives four hours away, according to the South Wales Argus newspaper.

The victims have been named as Shaukat Ali Hayat, 56, a teacher, his wife Abida, 47, eldest son Mohammad Ishaq, 33, daughter Saira Zenub and Mohammad’s pregnant wife, Bilques, 31. Saira was due to be married this weekend.

Ishaq and Bilques’ son, one-year-old Mohammad Eisa Daniel, however, survived. He was found by the rescue team being cradled by his dying grandfather, Shaukat Ali. The toddler suffered a dislocated shoulder and a broken arm and ribs, said the paper.

Shaukat Ali’s brother Sma Hayat, 58, was quoted by The Mirror as saying: “He saw what happened as the car went out of control.

“He grabbed the baby, clutched him in his arms and cushioned him. His actions saved his life.

“The boy has lost everyone but luckily he has pulled through.”

The family had made the 4,800km trip to Makkah from their home in Newport, South Wales for the Umrah.

Saira Zenub was a pharmacist and Mohammad Ishaq was pursuing a PhD in neuroscience.

The five members of the family were buried in Jannat Al Baqi cemetery, according to British media. Twenty members of the family travelled for the funeral.

Newport West MP Paul Flynn told the BBC: “The city has immense respect for the Hayat family and there will be real grief in Newport tonight at these terrible tragedies that have happened.”

The family was also involved in charity work in and around Newport and in 2010 they helped raise funds for victims of flooding in Pakistan.

A UK Foreign Office spokesman said consular assistance was being provided to relatives.