Saudi Arabia reports over 1,300 deaths during Hajj Pilgrimage

Riyadh: Saudi Arabia disclosed on Sunday that more than 1,300 pilgrims lost their lives during this year's hajj pilgrimage, which was marked by intense heat. Most of those who died did not possess official permits, according to official statements.

"Regrettably, the number of mortalities reached 1,301, with 83 percent being unauthorised to perform hajj and having walked long distances under direct sunlight, without adequate shelter or comfort," reported the official Saudi Press Agency.

Last week, a count based on government announcements and diplomatic reports, had estimated the toll at over 1,100 fatalities. Arab diplomats informed that Egyptians accounted for 658 deaths, with 630 of them being pilgrims without proper registration.

Until Sunday, Riyadh had not publicly addressed the deaths or released its own casualty figures. However, a senior Saudi official had previously informed of 577 deaths over the two busiest days of the hajj, June 15 and June 16, citing challenges during rituals due to extreme weather conditions. The official also defended Riyadh's response, saying: "The state did not fail, but there was a misjudgement on the part of people who did not appreciate the risks."

 Saudi Arabia's health minister, Fahd Al-Jalajel, characterised this year's hajj management as "successful," according to SPA. He said the health system "provided more than 465,000 specialised treatment services, including 141,000 services to those who didn't obtain official authorisation to perform hajj," according to SPA, which outlined an interview he gave to a state-affiliated channel.

The hajj, one of Islam's five pillars, requires Muslims with means to undertake the pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime. Saudi officials stated that 1.8 million pilgrims participated this year, similar to previous years, with 1.6 million arriving from outside the kingdom.

In recent years, the hajj has coincided with the scorching Saudi summer, with temperatures in Mecca reaching as high as 51.8 degrees Celsius (125 degrees Fahrenheit) this year.

On Saturday, Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly took action against 16 tourism companies, revoking their licences and referring their managers to the public prosecutor. This followed an increase in deaths among unregistered Egyptian pilgrims, attributed to companies organising hajj trips using personal visit visas that do not allow entry into Mecca via official routes.

Hajj permits are allocated through quotas to countries and distributed via lottery to individuals. Despite the challenges and risks associated with unauthorised pilgrimages, some still attempt the journey due to the high costs and stringent permit requirements.

AFP