All of those who died were Saudis, including several women, Al-Yaum newspaper reported. Officers from the Civil Defense and the Saudi Red Crescent had to cut through mangled wreckage to free the bodies, which were taken to Qunfuda Hospital.

Col. Ahmad Al-Otaibi, director of the Traffic Department in Makkah, said the victims were from two families, and were traveling in a car and a minibus.