Number of Sudanese pilgrims killed in Mecca stampede rises to 9
September 27, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s Hajj mission announced on Sunday that the number of the Sudanese victims of the stampede that occurred near the Muslim holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia has risen to nine.
It is the deadliest accident to occur during the annual hajj pilgrimage season since 1990 when 1,426 pilgrims suffocated in a tunnel near Mecca.
In a statement Sunday, the Hajj mission said that 9 Sudanese pilgrims have been killed in the stampede including 58 years old Abdalla Adam Abdel-Magid, Fatima Hassan Abu Rass Hassan, 58, Ahmed Hassan Mohamed Hassan, 34, Al-Amin Al-Gailani Al-Amin Banga, 67,Yasser Daffa’allah Ali Balla, 34, Latifa Abdel-Muni’im Mohamed Ali, 48, Mariam Al-Nair Logman Hassan, 65 and Khadiga Ishag Abdallah Idris, 63.
The statement pointed that 8 others have died of natural causes during the Hajj including 78 years old Fatima Mohamed Essa Musa, Ali Haroun Ali, 73, Hawa Mohamed al-Hag Daldoum, 63, Aisha Daffa’allah Mohamed Ibrahim, 75, Amouna Abdo Mohamed, 71, Ekhlas Murad Abdo Sabar, 69, Saida Mohamed Al-Khair Daffa’allah 85, and Igan Abdel-Aziz Abdallah Saeed, 51.
The mission said that those who died of natural causes have been buried according to the required procedures, pointing to ongoing contacts with the competent Saudi authorities to bury the rest of the victims.
The statement added that 20 pilgrims are still missing and 13 others are injured and being treated at Saudi hospitals, saying the emergency committee works around the clock and is in constant contact with the Saudi security and health authorities.
According to the statement, the Hajj mission has set up several phone numbers as well as the General Directorate of Hajj and Umrah’s website and email for contacts and follow-ups.
The statement also pointed that victims of the stampede from outside the mission have been identified and information about them was made available so that their families could identify them.
(ST)
