4 Jordanian pilgrims die, 34 injured

BY NADER AL-ENZI TABUK — Four Jordanian pilgrims were killed and 34 others were injured in a road accident on Friday. Tabuk Red Crescent spokesman Khalid Al-Enizi said a bus carrying Jordanian passengers, who had come to the Kingdom for Umrah, toppled on the Tabuk-Madinah Road. The bus was returning back to Jordan from Makkah after the pilgrims had completed their Umrah. The Red Crescent deployed 24 medical and emergency groups to tend to the victims. Four of the groups were from Tabuk Health Affairs and four other teams were from King Salman Military Hospital. The paramedics reported that four of the passengers died following the rollover. They reported 10 of the injured victims were still in critical condition. Nine others, who had suffered mild injuries, were being treated and the others were in a stable health condition. The paramedics transported the injured victims to King Khalid Civil Hospital and King Fahd Specialist Hospital. The bodies of the deceased were transported to King Khalid Hospital in Tabuk. Witnesses said that they had carried three of the dead victims to the hospital before the Red Crescent arrived on the scene. Meanwhile, Prince Fahd Bin Sultan, emir of Tabuk Province monitored the situation following the bus accident leading to the death and injury of dozens of Jordanian Umrah pilgrims, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said on Saturday evening. He issued directives to all security and civil authorities to provide all assistance and medical care to the injured in Tabuk city hospitals. The emir offered condolences to the families of the dead and wished the injured a quick recovery. Prince Fahd also issued directives to provide accommodation to the dependents of the Umrah pilgrims and to the accident victims whose condition does not necessitate hospitalization.