Egypt established a crisis unit on Thursday to investigate the deaths of hundreds of Egyptians who perished during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca.
This comes after scorching temperatures and harsh conditions claimed the lives of at least 530 Egyptians, according to medical and security sources. Dozens more remain missing.
The extreme heat in Mecca, with temperatures surpassing 51 degrees Celsius (124 Fahrenheit), has created dangerous circumstances for pilgrims performing Hajj.
Many of the deceased Egyptians were unregistered pilgrims, unable to access essential resources like shaded tents due to their unofficial status.
Official figures confirmed 28 deaths among the 50,752 registered Egyptian pilgrims.
The true toll, however, is likely much higher as authorities work to determine the exact number of unregistered victims.
Collaboration with Saudi officials is ongoing to facilitate the repatriation of the deceased.
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ordered the formation of the crisis unit, which will also investigate companies that facilitated travel for unregistered pilgrims. These companies face potential penalties for their role.
The Hajj, a mandatory pilgrimage for able-bodied Muslims with the means, represents a cornerstone of Islamic faith and unity.
This year’s pilgrimage attracted nearly 2 million participants. While heat-related deaths have occurred during Hajj for centuries, rising global temperatures pose a growing threat to the safety of pilgrims.
