Saudi Crash: Jaishankar Deeply Shocked; India Opens Control Room
Jaishankar said the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate in Jeddah were providing the “fullest support” to all affected families
New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Monday said he was “deeply shocked” by the bus accident near Madinah, Saudi Arabia, involving several Indian Umrah pilgrims.
In a post on X, he said the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate in Jeddah were providing the “fullest support” to all affected families. “Sincere condolences to the bereaved families. Pray for the speedy recovery of those injured,” he added.
Following the accident, the Consulate General of India in Jeddah announced that a 24x7 control room had been activated to assist relatives and coordinate emergency response. Officials said they are in constant touch with Saudi authorities for casualty updates, details on the injured, and hospital information.
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy also expressed shock over the incident after reports suggested several victims were from Hyderabad. According to an official statement, he contacted officials in New Delhi and instructed them to coordinate closely with the Indian Embassy in Riyadh for updated information.
Telangana Chief Secretary A. Santhi Kumari alerted Resident Commissioner Gaurav Uppal in New Delhi and directed him to gather details of how many passengers from the state were on the bus and ensure necessary support. A control room has been activated at the state Secretariat as well.
Hyderabad Lok Sabha MP and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi also expressed grief and urged the Centre to repatriate the bodies of the deceased. He said he spoke to Abu Mathen George, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, and shared passenger details gathered from two Hyderabad-based travel agencies with embassy officials and the Foreign Secretary.
According to Owaisi, 42 people were travelling on the bus when the accident occurred. Local reports said the vehicle was en route from Mecca to Madinah. Further details on casualties and survivors are awaited.
