Saudi Arabia says 1,301 deaths during Hajj, mostly unregistered pilgrims

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia said that more than 1,300 faithful died during the Hajj 2024 pilgrimage which took place during intense heat, and that most of the deceased did not have official permits.

“Regrettably, the number of mortalities reached 1,301, with 83 per cent being unauthorised to perform Hajj and having walked long distances under direct sunlight, without adequate shelter or comfort,” Saudi Health Minister Fahad Al Jalajel said.

The Saudi Arabia minister further said 95 unauthorised pilgrims are under treatment at the hospitals.

An AFP tally last week, based on official statements and reports from diplomats involved in their countries’ responses, put the toll at more than 1,100.

The dead came from more than 10 countries stretching from the United States to Indonesia, and some governments are continuing to update their totals.

Arab diplomats told AFP last week that Egyptians accounted for 658 deaths – 630 of them unregistered pilgrims.

The diplomats said the cause of death in most cases was heat-related.

Temperatures in Makkah this year climbed as high as 51.8 degrees Celsius (125 degrees Fahrenheit), according to Saudi Arabia’s national meteorological centre.

Riyadh had not publicly commented on the deaths or provided its own toll until Sunday.

On Friday, however, a senior Saudi Arabia official gave AFP a partial toll of 577 deaths for the two busiest days of Hajj: June 15, when pilgrims gathered for hours of prayers in the blazing sun on Mount Arafat, and June 16, when they participated in the “stoning of the devil” ritual in Mina.

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.”