Saudi Arabia Bus-Tanker Collision: Who Are The Indians Dead In The Tragedy?

Last Updated:November 17, 2025, 11:25 IST

Instructions have also been issued to the Resident Commissioner and the Coordination Secretary in New Delhi to stay in constant touch with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

42 Indian Pilgrims die in Saudi Bus Accident (Photo: X)

At least 42 Indian Umrah pilgrims are feared dead after a devastating collision between a passenger bus and a diesel tanker on the Mecca–Medina highway in Saudi Arabia early Monday. The crash, reported around 1.30 am, caused the bus to burst into flames while many passengers were asleep, leaving little time for escape and making identification efforts difficult.

Preliminary information indicates that several of the victims were Indian nationals undertaking the pilgrimage. Multiple families across different states have begun receiving the first confirmations of loss, even as authorities in Riyadh and Jeddah work to verify the total count of Indian casualties.

The following names are among the Indian victims who have so far been identified:

Relatives of the missing say many passengers were part of small local groups performing Umrah, and several came from the same extended families.

Back home, senior officials have taken urgent note of the tragedy. They have been in touch with the Consulate General of India in Jeddah as well as the Deputy Ambassador in Riyadh, seeking a detailed breakdown of how many pilgrims from their state may have been on board the ill-fated bus.

Instructions have also been issued to the Resident Commissioner and the Coordination Secretary in New Delhi to stay in constant touch with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Their immediate mandate is to collect verified information, facilitate communication with families, and coordinate any support he Centre may need to extend—ranging from identification processes to the repatriation of remains.

The MEA is expected to release a consolidated statement once confirmations from Saudi authorities are complete. Meanwhile, families across India are anxiously awaiting updates, hoping for clarity but preparing for the worst as the scale of the tragedy becomes clearer.

As per the instructions of Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, a control room has also been set up at Telangana Bhavan, New Delhi, in connection with the tragedy. Senior officials at Telangana Bhavan are in direct contact with the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Efforts are underway to ascertain the full details of the accident and confirm how many individuals from Telangana were involved.

Control Room Contact Numbers at Telangana Bhavan, New Delhi:

Smt. Vandhana, PS to Resident Commissioner & Liaison Head: +91 98719 99044.

Sri CH. Chakravarthi, Public Relations Officer: +91 99583 22143.

Sri Rakshith Naik, Liaison Officer: +91 96437 23157

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