At least 20 Umrah pilgrims were killed and 29 injured after a bus crashed southwest of Saudi Arabia on Monday. The video of the bus on fire has gone viral on social media.
As per reports, the bus hit a bridge, tipped over, and caught fire. The accident occurred due to a brake failure. It took place on the road joining Asir province and the city of Abha. At around 4 PM the accident took place which led to the bus being overturned. The road cuts through mountains and has 11 tunnels and 32 bridges. The bus was going down a bridge when it had brake failure and crashed into the barrier.
The victims were on their way to Mecca to conduct Umrah. Umrah is the religious pilgrimage Muslims undertake to the Islamic holy city of Mecca. Unlike Hajj, which can be done during specific dates only, Umrah can be done any time during the year.
The injured have been taken to local medical facilities for treatment.
Teams from the Red Crescent Authority and Saudi civil defence arrived on scene for rescue operations.