RIYADH – Four British pilgrims were killed and 12 others injured in SaudiArabia when their bus collided with a fuel tanker, officials said on Sunday.

The crash occurred on Saturday near the western Saudi town of Al Khalaswhile the pilgrims were on their way to Makkah.

“The royal embassy of Saudi Arabia in London is working with (Britain’s)Foreign Office to issue emergency visas immediately to both the relativesof the four pilgrims who died as well as to families of the 12 Britishpilgrims who were injured,” the embassy said in a statement.

“The injured have been taken to a hospital in Mecca where everythingpossible is being done to care for them.”

The statement said 17 British pilgrims were aboard the bus.

“My sincere sympathies and thoughts are with the families of the fourBritish pilgrims who tragically died in a coach crash in the kingdom onSaturday and for the pilgrims who were injured,” Saudi ambassador toBritain, Mohammad Bin Nawaf, tweeted.

“Our prayers are with these families at this tragic time.”

In a brief statement, a spokesman for the British Foreign Office said: “Weare supporting the British families of those who have died and thoseinjured following a serious road traffic accident”.

Every year, millions of Muslims flock to Makkah to carry out the annual hajpilgrimage.

In January 2017, a two-month old baby was among six British nationalskilled in a road accident in Saudi Arabia while they were travelling toMedina, according to British officials.

In 2015, around 2,300 worshippers performing haj were crushed to death in astampede, in the worst disaster ever to strike the annual pilgrimage.