Eight umrah pilgrims killed, 43 others injured in horrific bus crash in Medina

Dubai: Eight Egyptian and Sudanese umrah pilgrims were killed, and 43 others  injured in a horrific bus crash in Medina, local media reported.

The bus collided with a truck on the Al Hijrah highway, in Medina. Al Hijrah highway connects Mecca to Medina.

The collision is reported to have taken place near the town of Al Yutamah, approximately 90 km from Medina city. 

Director General of the Red Crescent Authority branch in Medina, Ahmed Al Zahrani, said the Red Crescent operations room in the region (997) received a report at 6.14am Friday stating that a bus had gotten involved in a horrific accident on the highway while travelling at 140kmh.

“Immediately, the latest RTA vehicles were dispatched to the Multiple Injury Bus (Twaiq), and the first team arrived at 06:24.”

Al Zahrani added there were 51 people on the bus. Three people were seriously injured and there were 10 who were moderately injured. The condition of the remaining passengers was stable by the time medical teams arrived at the scene.

Five of the injured were taken to hospitals in the area once they had been given on-site treatment and triage by the emergency teams.

On April 16, another bus carrying pilgrims overturned. One person died and several were injured.