13 Umrah Pilgrims Killed in Bus Crash in Saudi Arabia

They were in the kingdom to perform Umrah (minor) Hajj pilgrimage.

According to al-Sabaq news website, the accident left 13 people, including women and children, dead and 36 others injured.

The accident took place on a road connecting the Saudi cities of Riyadh and Taif, as the bus was transporting 49 passengers of different nationalities who were performing the Umrah, the minor Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca.

News outlets quoted Saudi officials as saying that initial investigations showed that the accident happened due to the bus’s front tire bursting.

Unlike the Hajj pilgrimage, Umrah can be performed at any time of the year but it is highly popular during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.