A bus carrying pilgrims to Mecca caught fire after colliding with a bridge on Monday, killing 20 people and wounding more than two dozen more, according to Saudi official media.
The event in the southern province of Asir shows the ongoing difficulties in securely conveying worshippers to Mecca and Medina, Islam’s holiest sites.
It occurs during Ramadan’s first week, a major season for umrah pilgrimages, and just months before millions of Muslims are due to perform the annual hajj pilgrimage.
"According to preliminary information we have already obtained, the number of dead in this tragedy reached 20, and the total number of injured was about 29,” the state-affiliated Al-Ekhbariya TV stated.
It said the victims had "different nationalities” but did not mention them or provide a breakdown.
The channel said the bus had "car trouble”, without specifying, while the private newspaper Okaz said the accident resulted from an issue with the brakes.
The vehicle "then collided with a bridge, overturned and caught fire”.
Footage broadcast on Al-Ekhbariya showed a reporter standing in front of what appeared to be the burnt-out shell of the bus.
Transporting worshippers around Saudi Arabia’s holy sites is a perilous task, particularly during the hajj when roads can be chaotic with buses creating interminable traffic jams.
In October 2019, some 35 foreigners were killed and four others injured when a bus collided with another heavy vehicle near Medina.
Yet pilgrimages are an essential component of a burgeoning tourism sector that Saudi officials hope will help diversify the kingdom’s economy away from fossil fuels.
