Hajj death toll tops 1,000 after extreme heat: AFP
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Every year, tens of thousands of pilgrims attempt to attend the Hajj through unofficial methods because they cannot pay for the often expensive legal visas.
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Muslim pilgrims cast stones at pillars in the symbolic stoning of the devil in Mina, near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia on June 18, 2024. (AP)
The death toll from this year's Hajj pilgrimage has surpassed 1,000, according to an AFP count released Thursday, with more than half of those killed being unregistered worshipers who completed the pilgrimage in harsh temperatures in Saudi Arabia.
According to an Arab official, 58 of the new deaths reported Thursday were Egyptian visitors, with 630 being unregistered.
Around ten nations have recorded 1,081 deaths during the trip, which is one of Islam's five pillars and is required from all Muslims with the means to participate at least once.
Mecca's Grand Mosque saw temperatures reach 51.8 degrees Celcius, the National Meteorological Center reported. According to Saudi research released last month, temperatures in the area are rising by 0.4 degrees Celsius every decade.
Every year, tens of thousands of pilgrims attempt to attend the Hajj through unofficial methods because they cannot pay for the often expensive legal visas.
This group was particularly susceptible since they could not utilize the air-conditioned areas designated for the 1.8 million authorized pilgrims to cool off.
One Arab official told AFP on Thursday, referring to Saturday's day-long outdoor prayers, which marked the culmination of the Hajj that "people were tired after being chased by security forces before Arafat day."
The envoy stated that the heat was the leading cause of mortality among Egyptian pilgrims, triggering problems such as high blood pressure and other concerns.
Egyptian authorities were visiting hospitals to gather information and assist Egyptian pilgrims in receiving medical care, according to a Foreign Ministry statement released on Thursday.
"However, there are large numbers of Egyptian citizens who are not registered in hajj databases, which requires double the effort and a longer time to search for missing persons and find their relatives," according to the report.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has directed that a "crisis cell" led by the prime minister investigate the deaths.
El-Sisi emphasized "the need for immediate coordination with the Saudi authorities to facilitate receiving the bodies of the deceased and streamline the process," according to a statement from his office.
A diplomat told AFP that Pakistan had documented 58 fatalities among the approximately 150,000 pilgrims, calling it "just natural" considering the weather and numbers.
Indonesia's Religious Affairs Ministry reported 183 deaths among around 240,000 pilgrims, compared to 313 deaths last year. Malaysia, India, Jordan, Iran, Senegal, Tunisia, Sudan, and Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region have all reported the deaths. In numerous cases, officials have not stated the cause.
Two diplomats told AFP on Thursday that Saudi officials had begun the burial procedure for deceased pilgrims, washing the bodies, wrapping them in white burial linen, and transporting them to be interred.
One diplomat stated that given the number of casualties, it would be hard to warn many families in advance, particularly in Egypt, where so many people died.
