Hundreds are believed to have died from heat during the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, with most fatalities among Egyptians.
The BBC visited a community in Egypt where over 20 pilgrims perished.
Effendiya, a 70-year-old from Menoufiya, sold her jewelry to fund her trip but died while performing Hajj rituals. Her son Sayyed says it was her lifelong dream. She went to Mecca on a tourist visa, hoping to avoid the costly and complicated official Hajj permits.
Effendiya’s trip, organized by a local broker, cost half the $6,000 required for official convoys but lacked promised services. On Arafat Day, the bus dropped her 12 km from Mount Arafat, forcing her to walk in extreme heat. Her son Tariq recalls her pouring water on her head during their video calls. She died from heat exhaustion.
Unregistered pilgrims like Effendiya lacked air-conditioned tents, transportation, and medical care. Sayyed blames travel brokers for their neglect. Effendiya’s family cannot reach the broker who arranged her trip.
The Egyptian government struggles to determine an official death toll for unregistered pilgrims. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has ordered an investigation into tour companies sending unregistered pilgrims.
Effendiya’s eldest daughter Manal is devastated, recalling her mother’s last call where she felt her soul leaving her body. Despite the tragedy, the family finds solace in her burial in Mecca, fulfilling her dream.
