A spiritual journey turned tragic early Monday when a bus carrying Indian Umrah pilgrims from Makkah to Madinah collided with a diesel tanker, triggering a massive fire, media reports say.

According to ANI, at least 42 people are feared dead, with initial reports indicating many passengers were women and children from Hyderabad. Unofficial sources suggest 11 women and 10 children may be among the victims, though authorities are still verifying the numbers.

Early-morning crash leaves passengers trapped

The accident occurred around 1:30 am IST near Muhras/Mufrihat, roughly 160 km from Madinah. Many passengers were reportedly asleep at the time, leaving them little chance to escape when the bus burst into flames after the collision.

Rescue teams described the scene as devastating, with the bus completely gutted, making victim identification extremely challenging. One person is believed to have survived, though their condition is unknown.