Reports said the passengers included Indian nationals, some of whom were residents of Hyderabad.

The government of India’s Telangana state said it was in contact with the Indian embassy in Riyadh.

A government statement said Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had instructed officials in New Delhi to coordinate closely with embassy representatives and work to resolve the matter as soon as possible.

The crash occurred at around 1:30am near Mufrehat when the bus struck a diesel tanker.

Most passengers were asleep, leaving little chance of escape once the vehicle caught fire.

Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi said 42 pilgrims travelling from Makkah to Madinah were killed, urging the central government to take immediate action.

Owaisi said he had spoken to Abu Mathan George, the deputy chief of the Indian embassy, who assured him that information was being collected.

He added that he had also contacted two Hyderabad-based travel agencies and shared passenger details with the embassy in Riyadh and India’s foreign secretary.

He appealed to the central government to bring back the bodies of the deceased and ensure proper medical attention for any injured.

Owaisi specifically requested prompt intervention from External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar to support the affected families.

Rescue teams described the scene as horrific, saying the bus was completely burnt, making identification of victims extremely difficult.

Reports say that one person who survived has been found, but their health is unknown.