Egypt takes tough action against tourism agencies after hajj deaths

Egypt has withdrawn the operating licenses of 16 tourism companies and referred them to the attorney general, accusing them of being responsible for the deaths of Egyptian pilgrims in Mecca, a crisis cell said on Saturday. examine the situation.

Medical and security sources say at least 530 Egyptians died during this year’s hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, while the statement from the cell, formed Thursday and led by Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly, said 31 deaths were confirmed as a result of chronic illness.

The tourism agencies which facilitated the travel of the people who subsequently died did not provide them with any services, including medical, the press release said without naming the companies concerned. They are accused of having sent pilgrims to Arabia with individual tourist visas, rather than hajj visas allowing access to Mecca, where the rituals take place.

Medical services offered by the Saudi authorities to alleviate the difficulties of the pilgrimage are not offered to those traveling on an individual visa. The deceased pilgrims had to walk through the desert to Mecca to avoid arrest or deportation, the statement added.

Egyptian authorities also claim that these travel agencies failed to provide pilgrims with “proper accommodation”, adding that this led to “exhaustion of pilgrims due to high temperatures”. They reported 31 deaths among registered Egyptian pilgrims, citing “chronic illnesses” as the cause of the deaths. Most of the deceased were not registered, the statement said.

In recent days, hundreds of people from different countries have died in harrowing conditions during the hajj pilgrimage in the Saudi city, where temperatures have sometimes exceeded 51 degrees Celsius (124 Fahrenheit).