Jakarta. The six Indonesian Umrah pilgrims who recently died in a bus crash in Saudi Arabia would be buried there, the government announced on Friday.

Last week, a bus carrying Indonesian Umrah pilgrims crashed in Wadi Qudaid (Madinah-Mecca Road), about 150 kilometers away from Jeddah. Investigations showed that the bus had gone off track and caught fire after crashing into a car traveling from the opposite direction. The incident claimed the lives of six Indonesians, while also leaving the other passengers injured. 

"We have obtained the approval of the five victims to be buried here," Indonesia's Consul General for Jeddah Yusron Ambary was quoted by Antara as saying.

According to Yusron, the family of one of the victims is also willing to have a Saudi burial. However, the consulate general will ask for the family's approval in written form before proceeding.

All bodies have been transferred to a hospital with more adequate forensic capabilities. The deceased will undergo forensic examinations before the funeral. The Saudi authorities had pledged to speed up the process, Yusron said.

"Processes like forensic examination and identification usually take seven days. But let's pray so they can finish faster so we can bury the deceased as soon as possible," Yusron said.

Fourteen passengers survived the crash, but three had to undergo intensive care in separate hospitals. Their injuries range from burns to bone fractures. The 11 remaining survivors can resume their Umrah pilgrimage in Mecca. Yusron said that the consulate general would keep in touch with the tour companies to keep an eye on the survivors' group.

Umrah is a voluntary pilgrimage undertaken by Muslims in Mecca. Indonesia sends at least 1 million Umrah pilgrims to Mecca each year.

Add as a preferred source on Google +