The toll of Egyptians who died taking part in the Hajj, the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, amid extreme heat, has risen to 672 while another 25 are missing, security and medical sources told Reuters on Sunday.
A crisis unit tasked with investigating the situation said in a statement on Saturday it has suspended licenses of 16 tourism companies and referred them to the public prosecutor, accusing them of being responsible for deaths it said were mainly among pilgrims not registered under the official system.
The unit, formed on Thursday and headed by prime minister Mostafa Madbouly, said 31 deaths were confirmed as a result of chronic illness among officially registered pilgrims.
More than 1,000 people died during Hajj this year, as extreme heat hammered the nearly two million who took part in the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca.
A total of 236 Indonesians died, according to Indonesian government data, while India's External Affairs agency said 98 Indian citizens died during Hajj.
Further deaths were reported by Tunisia, Jordan, Iran, and Senegal, making this year's total toll at least 1,114 people, according to a Reuters tally.
An Egyptian crisis unit tasked with investigating the situation said on Saturday it has suspended licences of 16 tourism companies and referred them to the public prosecutor, accusing them of being responsible for deaths it said were mainly among pilgrims not registered under the official system. The unit said 31 deaths were confirmed as a result of chronic illness among officially registered pilgrims.
