T nohe Egyptian government is set to revoke the licences of 16 travel agencies for arranging fraudulent Hajj trips to Saudi Arabia for unregistered pilgrims. The decision follows a meeting of the Hajj deaths crisis unit, chaired by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, on Saturday. According to an official cabinet statement, those involved will be referred to public prosecution.
While the statement did not specify the agencies or individuals implicated, it was revealed that these entities facilitated illicit travel arrangements for unregistered pilgrims to Mecca. This development comes in the wake of alarming reports of over 600 deaths among unregistered Egyptian pilgrims during the past week, coinciding with severe heatwaves in the Saudi city, where temperatures soared to 51 degrees Celsius.
Prime Minister Madbouly also disclosed that 31 registered Egyptian pilgrims, all with chronic illnesses, have died among the more than 50,000 who participated in this year’s Hajj.
Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, who attended the meeting, highlighted that the crisis predominantly affected unregistered pilgrims. He criticised the tourism companies responsible for transporting these individuals, stating that they had failed to provide any services. Minister Shoukry assured that his ministry would continue to liaise with Saudi authorities to locate missing Egyptian pilgrims and ensure the safe return of all participants.
Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, is an annual pilgrimage to Mecca that draws millions of Muslims from around the globe. This year, Saudi authorities reported a turnout exceeding 1.8 million pilgrims.
The crackdown on the implicated travel agencies is intended to prevent future incidents and ensure the safety and well-being of all pilgrims. The Egyptian government’s swift response underscores the gravity of the situation and its commitment to addressing the underlying issues that led to this tragic loss of life.
