A coach travelling from Mecca to Medina carrying 18 British citizens traveling to Mecca for an Umrah pilgrimage struck an oil tanker killing 4 people and injuring another 12 people on board.
Tour operators Hashim Travel said the incident occurred on Saturday 30 miles away from Mecca near the western Saudi town of Al Khala. The coach struck an oil tanker which caught fire and set the bus alight
The four people killed in the incident was Raj Begum Hussain, a 70-year-old mother of six and a grandmother to 13, from Blackburn, died alongside an elderly man and a mother and her grown-up son, all from Preston, in Lancashire.
Mrs. Hussain's family released a statement, "She will be sorely missed by all family and friends. We would like to thank the whole community for their condolences and support at this difficult time,". Mrs. Hussain younger sister was traveling with her but survived the crash and is recovering from her injuries.
Out of the 12 people injured, 6 remain in hospital.
A Foreign Office spokesperson released a statement: "We are supporting the British families of those who have died and those injured following a serious road traffic accident near the town of Al Khalas, Saudi Arabia."