MADINAH: Eight Nigerian pilgrims died and 39 were injured on Friday night as the bus carrying them from Madinah to Makkah overturned on the Al-Hijra Highway.
Fourteen pilgrims were rushed to Wadi Al-Far hospital and 24 were transferred to King Fahd Hospital in Madinah. The bus carrying the pilgrims overturned when the driver lost control. Both Civil Defense and Red Crescent teams arrived and were able to rescue many of them.
Members of the National Haj Guides Organization visited King Fahd Hospital to make sure the pilgrims were receiving proper treatment. The team was headed by Yousuf Hawala, and included the head of the Nigerian Office for Haj Services, Muhammad Abdul Jawad.
The head of the public relations and media, Kamal Khalifa, said that pilgrims whose injuries were minor were allowed to proceed to Makkah while others will be allowed to go as soon as they recover.
