ALBAWABA - Authorities in Egypt accused travel agencies of failing to provide both proper accommodations and medical services for Hajj (Islamic pilgrimage) travelers, as reported by RT.
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly ordered 16 licenses for the traveling agencies in question for illegal pilgrimages without providing proper services. Moreover, RT added that the tourist industry reportedly allowed several people to travel to Saudi Arabia through personal visit visas instead of Hajj ones.
Egypt accuses travel agencies for recent Hajj deaths
Saudi Arabia announced on Sunday that 1,301 fatalities occurred during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage. The deaths were mainly due to heat stress and unauthorized trips, which accounted for more than 80 percent of the total from whom are Egyptians, hence the government's intrusion.
Madbouly held an extended official meeting where he offered his condolences to the grieving families and assured them that Egypt would provide the necessary care for them. Additionally, he also mentioned that Egpyt is working with Saudi Arabia to investigate the victims' cause of death.
A departing Muslim pilgrim has a drink from a man as he sits next to other women in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca on June 20, 2024. (Photo by Abdel Ghani BASHIR / AFP)
The Egyptian Cabinet said, "The prime minister has ordered the licenses of these companies to be revoked, their managers to be referred to the public prosecutor, and the imposition of a fine to benefit the families of the pilgrims who died because of them."
Out of the 1,301 casualties, it's believed that 658 Egyptians died during their Hajj pilgrimage.
