Okaz/Saudi Gazette MADINAH — Most of the injured Egyptian pilgrims undergoing treatment in various Madinah hospitals following a bus accident have been discharged from hospitals, according to Madinah Red Crescent spokesperson Khalid Al-Sahly. One more pilgrim succumbed to his injuries taking the death toll to 20. Four of the injured victims are in a critical condition, suffering from broken limbs and internal bleeding. Some of them are in a coma. The bus carrying 44 pilgrims — including two chidden — overturned on its way to Madinah from Jeddah airport near Kilo 130 Al-Hijrah Road early Saturday morning. "The driver of the vehicle dozed off at the wheel," said Madinah Traffic Department Director Col. Nawaf Al-Mihmadi. Some of the family members of the deceased requested that the bodies be buried in Al-Baqee cemetery. Madinah Emir Prince Faisal Bin Salman has approved their request, said Al-Sahly. Egyptian Tourism Ministry ‘s chief of the Tourism Companies Sector Mohamamd Shaalan said 16 of the deceased were identified. The remaining are currently being identified through their fingerprints. He added that the ministry is offering a relative of each deceased victim a free ticket for Umrah. Family members of all identified victims have already been issued visit visas, said Al-Mihmadi. Madinah Ministry of Haj Acting Supervisor Mohammad Al-Arabi said eight of the deceased have been buried in Al-Baqee cemetery.
