Riyadh: At least 1,300 hajj pilgrims died during extreme heat, Saudi Arabia says
At least 1,300 people have died during the hajj pilgrimage, which took place during intense heat, Saudi Arabia has said, adding that most of the deceased did not have official permits.
“Regrettably, the number of mortalities reached 1,301, with 83% being unauthorised to perform hajj and having walked long distances under direct sunlight, without adequate shelter or comfort,” the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. A tally last week, compiled by Agence France-Presse and based on official statements from diplomats, put the toll at more than 1,100. Arab diplomats told AFP that Egyptians accounted for 658 deaths.