ALBAWABA - Twenty people died and 29 others were injured in a bus accident in Saudi Arabia.
The accident, carrying a group of pilgrims to holy shrines in Mecca, occurred Monday afternoon, in Aqabat Shaar in Asir region, southwest of Saudi Arabia.
Saudi media outlets reported that the cause of the accident was a malfunction in the bus's brakes, which led to it colliding with a bridge, overturning and catching fire.
The horrific accident took place at Aqabat Shaar in Asir governoratehttps://t.co/gPL44mclM6
— Khaleej Times (@khaleejtimes) March 27, 2023
The bus was on its way to Mecca, where the passengers intended to perform the umrah, Arabic for minor pilgrimage.
Preliminary information suggest that the passengers were of multiple nationalities, but their nationalities have not been revealed.
The health condition of the injured has not yet been disclosed.
20 Umrah pilgrims killed in Saudi road accident #SaudiArabia #Umrah https://t.co/3uHv0dAYuQ
— Gulf Today (@gulftoday) March 27, 2023
Following the accident, civil defense teams, the Red Crescent and the concerned security authorities rushed to the site, while the bodies and the injured were being transported to hospitals in the area.
