
At least 550 pilgrims died during this year's Hajj, diplomats reported on Tuesday, highlighting the extreme conditions faced by participants as temperatures soared. Among the deceased, 323 were Egyptians, primarily succumbing to heat-related illnesses, according to two Arab diplomats coordinating their countries' responses.
"All of the Egyptians died due to the heat, except for one who suffered fatal injuries in a minor crowd crush," one diplomat said. This figure was confirmed by the hospital morgue in Al-Muaisem, Mecca.
Additionally, 60 Jordanians were reported dead, up from an earlier official count of 41. The cumulative death toll from multiple countries now stands at 577, based on an AFP tally.
The Hajj, a mandatory pilgrimage for all Muslims with the means, is increasingly impacted by climate change. A recent Saudi study noted that temperatures in the ritual areas are rising by 0.4 degrees Celsius (0.72 degrees Fahrenheit) per decade. On Monday, the temperature at Mecca's Grand Mosque reached a blistering 51.8 degrees Celsius (125 Fahrenheit), according to the Saudi national meteorology center.
Earlier, Egypt's foreign ministry announced collaboration with Saudi authorities to search for missing Egyptians, acknowledging "a certain number of deaths" without specifying nationalities. Saudi authorities have treated over 2,000 pilgrims for heat stress but have not updated this figure or provided a fatality count since Sunday.
Last year, 240 pilgrims, mostly Indonesians, died during the Hajj. This year, AFP journalists in Mina witnessed pilgrims dousing themselves with water and receiving cold drinks and ice cream from volunteers to combat the heat. Saudi officials had urged pilgrims to use umbrellas, stay hydrated, and avoid peak sun hours. However, many Hajj rituals require extended outdoor activities, exacerbating the risk.
Pilgrims described scenes of motionless bodies on roadsides and overburdened ambulance services. Around 1.8 million pilgrims participated this year, with 1.6 million coming from abroad.
Unregistered pilgrims, who bypass official and costly Hajj visa procedures, face greater risks without access to air-conditioned facilities. An Egyptian diplomat noted that unregistered pilgrims significantly increased the Egyptian death toll. "Irregular pilgrims caused chaos in the camps, leading to service collapses," an official said. Many went without food, water, or air conditioning, leading to heat-related deaths.
Saudi officials reported clearing hundreds of thousands of unregistered pilgrims from Mecca before the Hajj. Other countries, including Indonesia, Iran, and Senegal, also reported fatalities, though most did not specify whether they were heat-related.
On Tuesday, Saudi Health Minister Fahd bin Abdul Rahman Al-Jalajel announced that health plans for the Hajj had been successfully implemented, preventing major disease outbreaks and public health threats, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). Health officials provided virtual consultations to over 5,800 pilgrims, mainly for heat-related illnesses, allowing for prompt intervention.