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| Two Britons die in Jeddah crash | Two Britons die in Jeddah crash |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Two Britons are among three people who have died in a coach crash in Saudi Arabia, the Foreign Office has said. | |
| A total of 34 other people were also hurt in the crash, which happened early on Saturday morning, 55 miles north of Jeddah at the port of Rabegh. | |
| The coach was carrying Hajj pilgrims from Medina to Mecca when it crashed, the Foreign Office said. It is not yet known how the accident happened. | |
| The nationality of the third person who died is not yet known. | The nationality of the third person who died is not yet known. |
| A Foreign Office spokesman said 34 people including "several" Britons were taken to hospital with injuries after the crash. Six were later discharged. | |
| HAJJ FACTS The Hajj is a ritual designed to show that everyone is equalThe Hajjis or pilgrims wear simple white clothes called ihramMecca is so holy that no non-Muslim is allowed to enterThe Hajj occurs in the 12th month of the Islamic lunar calendarEvery adult Muslim must attend the Hajj at least once if they can afford it and are physically ableMany pilgrims fly to Jeddah, and then travel to Mecca by busAround two million Muslims - including around 25,000 Britons - attend the Hajj each year What is the Hajj? | |
| "At this stage we do not know how it happened or how many of those injured are British citizens," he said. | |
| "We are taking steps to inform the families of the two British citizens who have died." | "We are taking steps to inform the families of the two British citizens who have died." |
| Diplomats from the British consulate in the Red Sea port of Jeddah are at the scene of the crash offering consular support to those involved. | Diplomats from the British consulate in the Red Sea port of Jeddah are at the scene of the crash offering consular support to those involved. |
| The British consul general in Jeddah, Gerard Russell, said he had visited the injured, who are in a local hospital. | |
| "About 28 are still in hospital," he said. | |
| "I've been visiting them today. A few are in a serious condition. It seems the hospital staff have pulled out all the stops to look after them. | |
| "It's a small hospital, not used to handling things of this scale. But obviously it's a very tragic incident and a lot of the people here are very distressed. | |
| "I've spent the past few hours talking to them and trying to find out what we could do to help them." | |
| Around 25,000 British Muslims travel to Saudi Arabia for the five-day annual Hajj pilgrimage each year. | Around 25,000 British Muslims travel to Saudi Arabia for the five-day annual Hajj pilgrimage each year. |
| This year's Hajj takes place between 29 December and 3 January. | |
Have you been affected by this incident? If you have any information you would like to share with the BBC you can do so using the form below: | Have you been affected by this incident? If you have any information you would like to share with the BBC you can do so using the form below: |