The Ministry of Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Affairs established a task force to assist in locating missing family members who were performing Hajj in Saudi Arabia, according to a statement released on Sunday.
Minister of Emigration Soha Gendy initiated the procedure following appeals from families who lost their family members during Hajj rituals in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
The statement indicated that the task force will collaborate with the Egyptian embassy in Saudi Arabia and other relevant authorities in the country to coordinate its efforts.
The minister confirmed that if the missing person is found to have passed away, the family will have the option to bury them in either Saudi Arabians or Egypt.
Hajj, which takes place over five or six days from the 8th to the 12th of Dhul Hijjah, the twelfth month of the Muslim lunar calendar, is mandatory for financially capable able-bodied Muslims at least once in their lifetime and is performed at the Kaaba in Mecca.
This year’s Hajj took place from 26 June to 1 July, and due to temperatures reaching 48 degrees Celsius, up to 2,000 people suffered from heat stress.
As of 30 June, 30 individuals have passed away, as reported by their respective countries, with no cause of death specified.
Gendy conveyed condolences to those who lost family members during Hajj and affirmed the emigration ministry’s unwavering commitment to providing assistance to all Egyptians residing abroad.
