Egypt has revoked the operating licenses of 16 tourism companies following the deaths of at least 600 of its citizens during the Hajj pilgrimage. Egyptian authorities referred the tourism companies in question to the prosecutor’s office on the grounds that they allowed unregistered pilgrimages.
What Happened?
This year, more than a thousand people died in Saudi Arabia, where 1.8 million Muslims went to perform their religious duties, due to extreme temperatures exceeding 51C during the pilgrimage. According to Arab officials; More than 600 Egyptians, more than 200 Indonesians, 14 Malaysians, 75 Jordanians, 49 Tunisians, 11 Iranians, 98 Indians, 35 Pakistanis and 23 Turkish pilgrims lost their lives. Authorities announced that there were more than a thousand deaths and that more than 2000 people were treated in hospitals.
Following these developments, Egypt canceled the operating licenses of 16 tourism companies and filed a criminal complaint with the prosecutor’s office. Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly reported that 31 deaths were the result of chronic diseases.
On Friday, Jordan announced that it had detained the managers of a travel agency that took pilgrims to Mecca unregistered. Tunisian President Kais Saied dismissed the Minister of Religious Affairs following the news of the death of 49 Tunisians, most of whom were unregistered pilgrims.
While it was reported that half of the dead were people who received unregistered pilgrim visas, it was stated that the pilgrims, who could not benefit from air-conditioned tents and bus facilities, fell ill and most of them died for this reason.
The Saudi Ministry of Health said it had previously warned pilgrims to avoid exposure to too much sun and dehydration. Pilgrims who were exposed to extreme heat and had difficulty finding water fell ill during the hajj.
Saudi Minister of Health Fahad bin Abdurrahman Al-Jalajel stated that the resources allocated to ensure the well-being of pilgrims are sufficient. In the statement made by the Saudi government, it was stated that the total capacity of these resources includes 189 hospitals with more than 6,500 beds, health centers, mobile clinics and more than 40 thousand medical, technical, administrative personnel and volunteers.
Pilgrim candidates said that they often had to walk long distances in extreme heat and stated that this situation was due to the inadequate service of the government.
