Diplomats reported on Tuesday that at least 550 pilgrims died during this year’s hajj, highlighting the arduous nature of the pilgrimage, which again took place in extreme heat.
Among the deceased, at least 323 were Egyptians, primarily succumbing to heat-related illnesses, according to two Arab diplomats coordinating their countries’ responses with AFP. “All of them (the Egyptians) died because of heat,” except for one individual who died from injuries sustained in a minor crowd crush, said one diplomat, noting that these figures came from the hospital morgue in Mecca’s Al-Muaisem neighborhood.
Additionally, the diplomats reported at least 60 Jordanians had died, an increase from the earlier official tally of 41 announced by Amman on Tuesday.
These new figures bring the total death count reported by various countries to 577, according to an AFP tally. The diplomats confirmed that the morgue in Al-Muaisem, one of Mecca’s largest, had recorded 550 deaths.
The hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, is a mandatory duty for all Muslims who have the means to perform it at least once in their lifetime. The pilgrimage is increasingly impacted by climate change, with a recent Saudi study indicating that temperatures in the ritual areas are rising by 0.4 degrees Celsius (0.72 degrees Fahrenheit) each decade. On Monday, temperatures at Mecca’s Grand Mosque reached 51.8 degrees Celsius (125 Fahrenheit), as reported by the Saudi national meteorology center.
Earlier on Tuesday, Egypt’s foreign ministry stated it was working with Saudi authorities to locate missing Egyptian pilgrims. While the ministry acknowledged “a certain number of deaths,” it did not specify if Egyptians were among the deceased.
Saudi authorities have treated over 2,000 pilgrims for heat stress but have not updated this figure since Sunday, nor provided information on fatalities. Last year, at least 240 pilgrims, mostly Indonesians, were reported dead by various countries.
AFP journalists observed pilgrims in Mina, near Mecca, pouring water over their heads while volunteers distributed cold drinks and ice cream to help them stay cool. Saudi officials had advised using umbrellas, staying hydrated, and avoiding sun exposure during peak hours. However, many rituals, such as the prayers on Mount Arafat, require extended outdoor exposure.
Some pilgrims reported seeing motionless bodies along roadsides and overwhelmed ambulance services. This year, around 1.8 million pilgrims participated in the hajj, including 1.6 million from abroad.
Each year, tens of thousands of pilgrims attempt the hajj without official visas, risking their safety and missing out on air-conditioned facilities provided by Saudi authorities. One diplomat suggested that the high death toll among Egyptians was exacerbated by a significant number of unregistered pilgrims. An Egyptian official overseeing the hajj mission noted that “irregular pilgrims caused great chaos in the Egyptian camps, leading to service collapses,” with many going without food, water, or air conditioning for extended periods.
Earlier this month, Saudi officials cleared hundreds of thousands of unregistered pilgrims from Mecca. Other countries, including Indonesia, Iran, and Senegal, have also reported deaths during this year’s hajj, though most have not specified whether the deaths were heat-related.
Saudi Health Minister Fahd bin Abdul Rahman Al-Jalajel stated on Tuesday that the health plans for the hajj were successfully executed, preventing major disease outbreaks and other public health threats, according to the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA). Health officials provided virtual consultations to over 5,800 pilgrims, primarily for heat-related illnesses, allowing for prompt interventions and mitigating potential case surges, SPA reported.
