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Hundreds attend memorial for Newport family in Mecca taxi crash | Hundreds attend memorial for Newport family in Mecca taxi crash |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The only survivor of a car crash has attended a memorial service for five members of one family killed on a pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. | |
One-year-old Mohammed Eisa Daniel has been called a miracle baby after surviving the taxi crash on 8 February. | |
Shaukat Ali Hayat, 56, his wife Abida, 47, eldest son Mohammed Isshaq, 33, his heavily pregnant wife, Bilques, and daughter Saira Zenub from Newport died. | Shaukat Ali Hayat, 56, his wife Abida, 47, eldest son Mohammed Isshaq, 33, his heavily pregnant wife, Bilques, and daughter Saira Zenub from Newport died. |
Hundreds attended the service for the five in Newport. | |
The five were killed on a pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. | |
It was reported their cab hit a concrete bridge, somersaulted off the road and ended up in a ditch. | It was reported their cab hit a concrete bridge, somersaulted off the road and ended up in a ditch. |
The family had been in Saudi Arabia as part of the Umrah, a pilgrimage to Mecca by Muslims at any time of the year. | The family had been in Saudi Arabia as part of the Umrah, a pilgrimage to Mecca by Muslims at any time of the year. |
They were travelling to Jeddah to meet relatives four hours away, the South Wales Argus reported. | They were travelling to Jeddah to meet relatives four hours away, the South Wales Argus reported. |
The newspaper said one of the family members killed was due to be married this weekend. | The newspaper said one of the family members killed was due to be married this weekend. |
Rescuers initially thought the whole family had died, but they found Shaukat Ali Hayat, 56, cradling one-year-old Mohammed in the wreckage. | Rescuers initially thought the whole family had died, but they found Shaukat Ali Hayat, 56, cradling one-year-old Mohammed in the wreckage. |
The baby suffered a dislocated shoulder and a broken arm and ribs, said the paper. | |
Shaukat Ali Hayat's brother, Hayat Shazada, said he was shocked and devastated by the loss of members of his family. | |
"Obviously he (Mohammed) is in a traumatic state by losing the entire members of his family - his mother, his father, his brother, sister-in-law and his beloved sister he's lost as well," said Mr Shazada. | |
Mr Shazada said people in Saudi Arabia had dubbed his nephew a miracle baby and the angel of Saudi Arabia. | |
"Everybody wanted to come and see him because the car crash was so horrific that they said if there was a fly flying around in that car that would not have survived," he added. | |
"How he survived is a miracle. | |
"One of the most important things is that his grandfather held him in his arms so tight and took the brunt of the impact. | |
"We're grateful that the community has rallied around to help us in this hour of need." | |
The family had been involved in a charity work in and around Newport and in 2010 they helped raise funds for victims of flooding in Pakistan. | |
They were buried in Jannat-ul-Baqi cemetery in Medina. The burial was attended by about 20 relatives who had flown out to Saudi Arabia. | They were buried in Jannat-ul-Baqi cemetery in Medina. The burial was attended by about 20 relatives who had flown out to Saudi Arabia. |
The graveyard is a holy site for Muslims with wives and relatives of Islamic prophet Muhammad buried there. | The graveyard is a holy site for Muslims with wives and relatives of Islamic prophet Muhammad buried there. |
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