ammonnews.net

Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Over 12 Jordanian pilgrims died on Thursday and 34 others were injured in a tragic road accident in Saudi Arabia when their bus overturned and crashed on the road between Mecca and Madinah where they were set to perform the Umra, the Islamic lesser pilgrimage.

Jordanian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Jamal Shamayleh told Ammon News on Thursday that the Embassy is following up on the tragic accident, adding that Jordan's Consulate in Jeddah and the Embassy is in constant communication with Saudi police to coordinate efforts.

Shamayleh expressed sadness and sorrow for the deaths and injuries of the pilgrims.

King Abdullah II later on Thursday instructed the government to transfer bodies of the Jordanian pilgrims who died in a tragic road accident in Saudi Arabia today.

The King also instructed the government to transfer the injured to Jordanian hospitals to receives medical treatment, Jordan News Agency Petra reported.

The bus carrying the pilgrims overturned at a bridge between the holy cities of Mecca and Madinah, Saudi sources and a Jordanian pilgrim that was among the group told Ammon News.

The pilgrim, Abdul Qader said that one of the bus' front tires burst, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle which crashed into the median and overturned.

Saudi sources reported that the accident was caused by a burst of one of the bus' front tire while the pilgrims were heading from Mecca to Madinah.

The sources added that among the injured, 10 cases are in critical condition, while 6 others were treated and discharged from the hospital.

Saudi emergency cadres and the Saudi Red Crescent rushed to the scene and transferred the injured to local hospitals after performing first-aid treatment, the Saudi-based news website Sabaq reported.

The report said that 12 Jordanians were killed and 39 were injured in the accident, adding that 13 of the injured received treatment at the site of the accident.