Egyptian tourist Hajj mission forms committee to identify bodies of Mina stampede victims

Chief of Egypt's Tourist Hajj Mission Mohamed Shaalan on Saturday said a committee headed for Saudi hospitals earlier in the day to identify the bodies of the Mina stampede victims.

In statements, Shaalan said the committee was tasked with taking legal action and asking their families if they wish to bury the bodies in Mecca or in Egypt.

He added that the Hajj mission met with Tawafa Establishment to discuss compensation for those affected by the power outage and restore pilgrims' accruals.

Shaalan said that to transfer the first batch of hasty pilgrims returned home earlier in the day, while the last batch will be launched in Dhul Hijjah 25.

Tourist Hajj committees in Mecca will continue their work until the pilgrims travel either to Cairo or to Medina, he added.

Meanwhile, Awqaf Minister Mohamed Mokhtar Gomaa, who leads Egypt's hajj mission, paid a visit to three Saudi hospitals, where injured Egyptian pilgrims are receiving treatment.

The minister received a report from the medical mission on names of the injured Egyptians in the Mina stampede

The number of Egyptian pilgrims killed in the Mina stampede during the Hajj rituals on Thursday rose to 14 persons, while 31 others were injured in the incident.

As many as 717 pilgrims died and at least 863 others were injured on Thursday when a stampede occurred in the tent city of Mina during a Hajj pilgrimage ritual.

Source: MENA