Heat and Unauthorized Trips Lead to 1,301 Deaths During Hajj Pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia announced that 1,301 people died during the Hajj pilgrimage, with many deaths attributed to heat stress and unauthorized trips. The temperature in Mecca soared to a record 125 degrees Fahrenheit, causing severe heat stress among pilgrims.

According to the Saudi government, 83% of the deceased were unauthorized pilgrims who walked long distances under direct sunlight without adequate shelter. Many of the deceased were elderly or chronically ill individuals. The families of all the deceased have been identified.

Unauthorized pilgrims often lack proper accommodation and travel in unorganized groups without air conditioning or easy access to water and food. This has been cited as a reason for the delay in issuing an official death toll.

Some pilgrims criticized the poor infrastructure and organization of this year’s Hajj pilgrimage. Even those on official tours spent much of their time walking outdoors in the extreme heat, with some witnesses reporting seeing worshippers losing consciousness.

The Egyptian government has decided to revoke the licenses of 16 Hajj tourism firms involved in illegal pilgrimages and refer the managers to the public prosecutor. These firms were accused of not issuing correct visas and failing to provide proper accommodation, leaving pilgrims exposed to the heat.

Hajj permits are issued based on a quota system, and each pilgrim must acquire one of the 1.8 million available licenses to legally access Mecca. Due to the high cost of these licenses, many pilgrims attempt to access the site illegally.

The Hajj pilgrimage, based on the Islamic lunar calendar, occurred during extreme temperatures of up to 49 degrees Celsius. Pilgrims perform various rituals in and around Mecca, often involving many hours of walking in the scorching heat.

The total number of deaths could still rise as governments only have information on registered pilgrims.