Lagartar24 Desk
New Delhi, March 28: At least 20 Umrah pilgrims were killed and 29 others were injured after a bus crashed southwest of Saudi Arabia on Monday. The bus hit a bridge, tipped over, and caught fire.
Saudi Arabia | At least 20 Umrah pilgrims were killed and 29 others injured in a bus accident in Asir. Bus collided against a bridge, tipped over, and caught fire as a result of a brake failure, reports Gulf News
— ANI (@ANI) March 28, 2023
As per information, the accident occurred due to a brake failure, and took place on the road joining Asir province and the city of Abha.
The victims were on their way to Mecca to conduct Umrah. The injured have been taken to local medical facilities for treatment. Moreover, teams from the Red Crescent Authority and Saudi civil defence arrived quickly at the scene of the accident and roped off the area.
Earlier in 2019, a previous bus accident near Medina killed 35 foreigners and injured four others. Despite the dangers, pilgrimages remain an essential part of Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning tourism industry, which officials hope will help diversify the country’s economy beyond its reliance on fossil fuels.