The Egyptian government has taken immediate action against 16 tourism companies facilitating illegal travel for pilgrims to Makkah during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage. This decisive step follows the tragic deaths of over 1,100 individuals, with many succumbing to extreme heat during the pilgrimage.
The Prime Minister has revoked the licenses of these companies and referred their managers to the public prosecutor’s office. Arab diplomats revealed that 658 Egyptian pilgrims died during the pilgrimage, with 630 of them being unregistered. This surge in deaths among unregistered Egyptian pilgrims has been linked to some companies organizing Hajj programs using personal visit visas.
A senior Saudi official defended the kingdom’s management of the pilgrimage, emphasizing that Hajj permits are allocated to countries based on a quota system and distributed to individuals through a lottery. However, the exorbitant costs associated with the pilgrimage have compelled many pilgrims to attempt Hajj without a permit, risking arrest and deportation if apprehended by Saudi security forces.
The irregular route, which can save pilgrims thousands of dollars, has become increasingly popular since Saudi Arabia introduced a general tourism visa in 2019, making entry into the kingdom more accessible.
The Saudi government confirmed 577 deaths during the two busiest days of Hajj amid challenging weather conditions and extreme temperatures.
Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, requires all Muslims with the means to complete it at least once in their lifetime. Saudi officials stated that 1.8 million pilgrims participated this year, with 1.6 million coming from abroad. The timing of Hajj, determined by the Islamic lunar calendar, often aligns the predominantly outdoor rituals with the scorching Saudi summer in recent years.
