Hyderabad: 18 members of a Indian family including 42 passengers were killed in a bus collision near Medina, Saudi Arabia on Sunday night. The bus with 42 passengers were travelling in a bus collided with a diesel tanker about 30 km from Medina, according to reports.

The accident occurred late at night when most passengers were sleeping. So they could not escape in time as the vehicle caught fire after the crash. Eighteen members of one family, nine of them children, are among the 42 Indian pilgrims killed in a road accident near Medina in Saudi Arabia. The Hyderabad-based family was to return on Saturday died in the accident.

According to their relative sources Mohammed Asif said my sister-in-law, brother-in-law, their son, three daughters and their children went (for Umrah). They left eight days ago. The Umrah was done, and they were returning to Medina. Around 1.30 am, the accident occurred, and the bus was destroyed in the fire. They were supposed to return on Saturday.

Asif said they were in constant touch with their relatives before the tragedy struck. Eighteen members of one family nine adults and nine children have died. It is a terrible tragedy for us, he said.

Asif identified some of his relatives as Naseeruddin (70), his wife Akhter Begum (62), son Salauddin (42), daughters Amina (44), Rizwana (38), and Shabana (40), and their children.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his twitter post said that he was deeply saddened by the incident. My thoughts are with the families who have lost their loved ones. I pray for the swift recovery of all those injured. Our Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate in Jeddah are providing all possible assistance. Our officials are also in close contact with Saudi Arabian authorities.

The Indian consulate has set up a control room and a helpline after the incident. In view of a tragic bus accident near Medina, Saudi Arabia, involving Indian Umrah pilgrims, a 24×7 Control Room has been set up in Consulate General of India, Jeddah. The contact details of the Helpline are as under: Toll free number – 8002440003, the consulate said in a post on X.

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has expressed sorrow over the incident and asked top State officials to stay in touch with the Indian consulate and provide necessary support. The Government will stand by the affected families. I pray that they remain strong, he said.