In the wake of the devastating bus accident near Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Madina, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has announced that a high-level Indian delegation will travel to the Kingdom on Wednesday, November 19, to assist local authorities and provide support to grieving families. The tragedy, which occurred early Monday (Nov 17), resulted in the deaths of several Indian Umrah pilgrims, most of them from Telangana and left others critically injured.
The accident took place around 1:30 am (IST) when a bus ferrying more than 40 Indian nationals from Mecca to Madina collided with an oil tanker, leading to a massive fire and widespread casualties. Visuals of mourning families at Hyderabad’s Hajj House on Tuesday (Nov 18), submitting identification documents in hopes of travelling to Saudi Arabia for funerals, underscored the deep anguish caused by the incident.
According to the MEA, the delegation will be led by Justice S Abdul Nazeer, governor of Andhra Pradesh, who will be accompanied by Arun Kumar Chatterjee, secretary of Consular, Passport, Visa, and Overseas Indian Affairs.
The purpose of the visit, officials said, is to ensure the “fullest assistance” to affected families and to coordinate closely with Saudi authorities, including the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, on matters related to relief, identification of bodies, and the repatriation process.
MEA sources confirmed that the delegation is also expected to take part in the last rites of the deceased, a gesture aimed at honouring the victims and standing in solidarity with their families.
In a statement, the Centre expressed deep grief over the loss of life: “We extend our deepest condolences to the bereaved families and wish for the speedy recovery of the injured.”
The government emphasised that it remains “fully committed” to supporting affected Indian nationals and ensuring that all formalities, from hospital care to mortuary procedures and travel documentation are handled swiftly and sensitively.
Soon after the incident, officials from the Indian Consulate in Jeddah rushed to the crash site to assess the situation and work with emergency responders. The Embassy of India in Riyadh and the Consulate General in Jeddah have been coordinating efforts to expedite the identification of mortal remains, a process complicated by the severity of the crash.
Simultaneously, New Delhi is facilitating the travel of family members of the deceased to Saudi Arabia for funerals and other formalities. Revenue officials in Hyderabad were seen guiding and collecting documents from relatives at the Hajj House on Tuesday.
Relief operations are ongoing on priority in Saudi Arabia, with local authorities fully cooperating with Indian officials. The MEA confirmed that it is monitoring the situation closely, maintaining continuous communication with Saudi agencies to ensure that injured Indians receive proper treatment and that necessary arrangements are made for the deceased.
As the delegation departs tomorrow, India’s diplomatic and consular machinery continues to work round-the-clock to provide clarity, support, and solace to families devastated by the tragedy.
