MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Dozens of Egyptians pilgrims died during the annual Hajj pilgrimage to a Muslim holy site in Saudi Arabia, media reported Friday, citing Egypt's health officials.
Ali Hegazy, deputy health minister and head of Egypt's official medical delegation to the Hajj, said that 41 Egyptians died during the pilgrimage in Mecca, all from natural causes, according to Ahram newspaper.
Out of more than 80,000 Egyptian pilgrims who have traveled to Mecca this year, almost 63,000 people were tended to in the clinics of the official delegation, while 346 were treated in Saudi hospitals.
During last year Hajj, on September 14, 2015, a huge stampede in the Mina neighborhood of Mecca killed at least 769 people. Some international media reports suggest that as many as 2,400 people died in the incident.
