Madinah: A Telangana government delegation on Sunday, November 23, met the only survivor of the Madinah Umrah bus tragedy that claimed 45 lives. The team visited him at a Saudi hospital, where he is receiving treatment for severe burn injuries.
The delegation comprised Minorities Minister Mohammed Azharuddin, Minorities Welfare Secretary B Shafiullah and AIMIM MLA Mohammed Majid Hussain.
They reviewed the survivor Mohammed Abdul Shoeb’s medical condition with hospital staff. Hussain was seen encouraging him, telling him to “stay strong” (“himmat se raho”) as he struggled with critical injuries.
The visit came a day after the victims were laid to rest on Saturday, November 22, at Jannatul Baqi following funeral prayers at the Prophet’s Mosque.
Accident background
The crash occurred in the early hours of Monday, November 22, killing at least 45 pilgrims, including ten children. Many of the victims were from Asif Nagar, Jhirra, Mehdipatnam and Tolichowki in Hyderabad.
Fifty-four pilgrims had travelled to Jeddah on Saturday, November 9. Eight were not on the bus—four went to Madinah by car and four stayed back in Makkah—while the remaining 46 continued the journey by bus. Forty-five died at the scene, leaving Shoeb as the lone survivor.
Shoeb traveled for Umrah with his parents. His father, Abdul Khadeer, a carpenter, and his mother, Gausiya Begum, along with his maternal grandfather, Mohammed Moulana, tragically lost their lives in a crash.
Shoeb was reportedly seated near the driver when the bus collided with a diesel tanker, an impact that triggered a fire and left the remaining passengers with no chance of escape.
