At least six people from Manchester and Glasgow, including a baby aged about two months, killed on pilgrimage

At least six British citizens have been killed in a minibus crash in Saudi Arabia, the Foreign Office has said.

Reports that a seventh person was also killed have not been confirmed. It is understood the dead include four people from Manchester and a married couple from Glasgow. A baby aged about two months is thought to be one of the victims from Manchester.

Glasgow central mosque named the Scottish victims as 72-year-old Mohammad Aslam and 62-year-old Talat Aslam, parents of five children, from the Newlands area of the city. The Manchester victims are thought to include a grandmother and her newborn grandson.

The bus was carrying 12 passengers, all thought to be family and friends, between Mecca and Medina when it crashed on Wednesday afternoon. The Manchester-based tour operator Haji Tours, which organised the trip, said the group was performing Umrah, a pilgrimage made by Muslims to Mecca.



The baby’s mother and her two other children are understood to have been critically injured in the accident, and were taken to Medina hospital for treatment. The driver of the minibus survived.



A spokesman for Haji Tours, which is arranging for family members to travel to Saudi Arabia as soon as possible, said: “We are sharing our sorrow with the family affected.

“We hope God forgives them and gives them the best place possible in paradise. We share our grief with them and give them courage at this terrible time.”

A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We are supporting the families of six British people who have sadly died following a road accident in Saudi Arabia. We are also helping several more British nationals who were injured in the crash. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families at this very difficult time.”

Mohammad Arif, director of the tour operator, said the group had been travelling in a 14-seater 2016 Toyota Hiace, operated by a Saudi company, when one of the vehicle’s tyres burst on the motorway 90 miles from Medina city.

Members of the Glasgow family said they had been informed by Saudi Arabian authorities that the driver of the bus fell asleep at the wheel.

Arif said his company – which provides package tours for Muslims wishing to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca – had arranged the whole trip, including visas, accommodation and transportation and had been in constant contact with the Saudi authorities about the accident.

The group on the tour is thought to have included four sisters and their families. Two of the sisters are understood to have died, while the other two have survived. Of the victims from Manchester, one is thought to be the baby boy, one a man aged 64, and the other two women aged 49 and 66.

“We are very, very sorry for them. It is a big loss for the family. We have no words, no words. This was an accident,” said Arif.

Speaking to the Manchester Evening news, Nadesh Ikbal, whose mother was injured in the crash, said about 20 of his family members from Manchester would be travelling to Medina on Thursday night.

“My mother has lost two sisters in the crash. Her other sister, my auntie, has also been injured,” he said. “A child, who is almost two months old, has died and his mother is in hospital with her other two children.

“We are flying out to Medina as soon as we can. As a family we need as much help as possible at this terrible time.”

Glasgow central mosque released a statement paying tribute to Mohammad and Talat Aslam. “Mr Mohammad Aslam and Mrs Talat Aslam, of Glasgow, the parents of Shehla, Saba, Omar, Osman and Haroon, have returned to the mercy of Allah,” it read.

“On Wednesday 18 January they had just completed Umrah and were travelling in a minibus to visit our beloved prophet’s masjid in Medina. Tragically they were involved in a fatal accident. Four members of another family from Manchester were also killed in this tragedy.”

Stewart McDonald, the Aslam’s local MP in the Glasgow South , said he was very sorry to hear of the death of two of his constituents. “I’m in touch with the Foreign Office to ensure that their family are being given all the assistance they need,” he said.

“I’m sure fellow southsiders will want to send their sympathies and best wishes to the family at this incredibly sad and difficult time.”

The Aslams are listed as directors of Universal Investments (Scotland) Limited, which rents and operates Housing Association real estate. One relative, thought to be a niece of the couple, wrote on Facebook that the couple had been “so full of life”. “Sadly Aunty Talat Aslam and Uncle Aslam have left this world,” she said.</s>The British government says six U.K. citizens have been killed and others injured in a road crash in Saudi Arabia.

The Foreign Office said Thursday it was supporting the families of the dead Britons and "helping several more British nationals who were injured in the crash."

Glasgow Central Mosque named two of those killed as Mohammad and Talat Aslam, parents of five from the Scottish city. It says the other victims were four members of a family from Manchester in northwest England.

The mosque says the group had just completed Umrah, a pilgrimage to the Muslim holy city of Mecca. The Britons were traveling to Medina when the crash occurred on Wednesday.</s>Six Britons have died in a minibus crash in Saudi Arabia on their way back from a pilgrimage to Mecca. A couple from Glasgow and four people believed to be from Manchester died in the incident near Medina on Wednesday.

Start the conversation, or Read more at Leigh Journal.</s>Six Britons have died in a minibus crash in Saudi Arabia on their way back from a pilgrimage to Mecca.

A couple from Glasgow and four people believed to be from Manchester died in the incident near Medina on Wednesday.

Glasgow Central Mosque named the Scottish victims as Mohammad and Talat Aslam, parents of five, from the Newlands area of the city.

The Foreign Office said it was supporting the families of the six victims and helping others who were injured in the crash.

The group had just completed Umrah, a pilgrimage to Mecca, according to Glasgow Central Mosque.

A statement from the Scottish mosque said: “Mr Mohammad Aslam and Mrs Talat Aslam of Glasgow, the parents of Shehla, Saba, Omar, Osman and Haroon, have returned to the mercy of Allah.

“On Wednesday January 18 they had just completed Umrah and were travelling in a minibus to visit our beloved Prophet’s Masjid in Madina. Tragically they were involved in a fatal accident.

“Four members of another family from Manchester were also killed in this tragedy.”

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: “We are supporting the families of six British people who have sadly died following a road accident in Saudi Arabia.

“We are also helping several more British nationals who were injured in the crash. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families at this very difficult time.”</s>LONDON: Six British nationals have been killed and several more injured in a road crash in Saudi Arabia, Britain’s foreign ministry said on Thursday.

“We are supporting the families of six British people who have sadly died following a road accident in Saudi Arabia,” a Foreign Office spokeswoman said. “We are also helping several more British nationals who were injured in the crash,” she said, without specifying how many.

Glasgow Central Mosque released a statement naming two of the victims as Glasgow couple Mohammad Aslam and Talat Aslam, who have five children, saying they had just completed Umrah.

They “were travelling in a minibus” to Madina, it said, adding: “Four members of another family from Manchester were also killed in the tragedy”.

Six Britons killed in Saudi Arabia road crash was posted in World of TheNews International - https://www.thenews.com.pk on January 20, 2017 and was last updated on January 20, 2017. This news story is related to Print/180470-Six-Britons-killed-in-Saudi-Arabia-road-crash/ - breaking news, latest news, pakistan ne. Permanent link to the news story "Six Britons killed in Saudi Arabia road crash" is https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/180470-Six-Britons-killed-in-Saudi-Arabia-road-crash.</s>Six British nationals have died in a major road traffic accident in Saudi Arabia, the Foreign Office has said.

A minibus carrying 12 passengers on pilgrimage in the country crashed on route to Medina after visiting Mecca.

Four of those killed were from the same Manchester family, while the Manchester Evening News reported that a two-month-old baby was among the dead.

A couple from the Newlands region of Glasgow were also killed. Parents to a family of five, they were named by the Glasgow Central Mosque as Mohammad and Talat Aslam.

In a statement, the Foreign Office said other Britons were injured in the crash, and were being provided with assistance.

The Foreign Office statement said: "We are supporting the families of six British people who have sadly died following a road accident in Saudi Arabia.

"We are also helping several more British nationals who were injured in the crash. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families at this very difficult time."

A statement from the Scottish mosque said: "Mr Mohammad Aslam and Mrs Talat Aslam of Glasgow, the parents of Shehla, Saba, Omar, Osman and Haroon, have returned to the mercy of Allah.

"On Wednesday January 18 they had just completed Umrah and were travelling in a minibus to visit our beloved Prophet's Masjid in Madina. Tragically they were involved in a fatal accident.

"Four members of another family from Manchester were also killed in this tragedy."</s>Seven British people, including five members of one family, have reportedly been killed in a minibus crash while on a pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

The Guardian reported that five members of one family from Manchester, as well as two others from Glasgow were killed in the crash. The minibus was carrying 12 passengers between Mecca and Medina when it crashed on Wednesday, the newspaper said.</s>Two Glasgow tourists have been killed in a crash in Saudi Arabia.

Parents of five, Mohammad Aslam and his wife Talat Aslam, from Newlands in Glasgow, were among seven who died in the crash.

The group were performing the Umrah on their trip to Saudi Arabia, a pilgrimage made by Muslims to Mecca.

The crash is believed to have happened 140km from Mecca, with the group travelling from Medina.

The Foreign Office has confirmed a total of six people were killed in the crash, with four of them believed to be from Manchester.

A baby is also believed to be among the dead.

A spokesperson for Haji Tours Manchester, who organised the trip, said: “We are sharing our sorrow with the family affected. We hope God forgives them and gives them the best place possible in paradise. We share our grief with them and give them courage at this terrible time.”

A Foreign Office statement said: "We are supporting the families of six British people who have sadly died following a road accident in Saudi Arabia.

“We are also helping several more British nationals who were injured in the crash. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families at this very difficult time.”</s>Six Britons have died in a road crash in Saudi Arabia, the Foreign Office said.

The victims are all thought to have been on a pilgrimage when their minibus crashed while travelling between Mecca and Medina.

A couple from Glasgow and four people believed to be from Manchester died in the incident on Wednesday.

A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said: "We are supporting the families of six British people who have sadly died following a road accident in Saudi Arabia.

"We are also helping several more British nationals who were injured in the crash. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families at this very difficult time."</s>At least six Britons have died in a minibus crash on their way back from a pilgrimage to Mecca.

Four people from Manchester and two from Glasgow died in the incident which happened as they travelled from Mecca and Medina yesterday (Wednesday).

A baby, aged less than two months, is understood to be among the victims.

Two other children are believed to have been injured.

Scottish couple Mohammad and Talat Aslam, parents of five, have been named among the dead by Glasgow Central Mosque named the

The Foreign Office said it was supporting the families of the six victims and helping others injured in the crash.

The group had just completed Umrah, a pilgrimage to Mecca, according to Glasgow Central Mosque.

The bus was carrying 12 passengers between the two cities when it crashed.

Manchester-based tour operators Haji Tours confirmed the group was performing the Umrah, a pilgrimage made by Muslims to Mecca.

Two children are believed to have been injured. The driver of the minibus survived.

A statement from the Scottish mosque said: “Mr Mohammad Aslam and Mrs Talat Aslam of Glasgow, the parents of Shehla, Saba, Omar, Osman and Haroon, have returned to the mercy of Allah.

“On Wednesday January 18 they had just completed Umrah and were travelling in a minibus to visit our beloved Prophet’s Masjid in Madina.

“Tragically they were involved in a fatal accident.

“Four members of another family from Manchester were also killed in this tragedy.”

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: “We are supporting the families of six British people who have sadly died following a road accident in Saudi Arabia.

“We are also helping several more British nationals who were injured in the crash.

“Our thoughts are with the victims and their families at this very difficult time.”
At least six Britons from Manchester and Glasgow are killed in a bus crash in Saudi Arabia while they were on pilgrimage.