Jordanian pilgrims’ death toll reaches 75 – Foreign ministry

Amman: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates' Directorate of Operations and Consular Affairs declared that 75 Jordanian pilgrims who were not participating in the official Hajj mission have died from heat stroke brought on by the extreme heat wave. Following their families' wishes, 68 Jordanian pilgrims have received burial permits to be buried in Mecca; seven more burial permits are currently being processed, according to Ambassador Sufian Qudah, Head of the Directorate of Operations and Consular Affairs. According to the database created by the Directorate since the start of reporting the loss and death of several Jordanian pilgrims, 27 of whom are receiving treatment in Saudi hospitals, including 15 people in critical condition, and coordination is underway to transfer them for treatment in the Kingdom as soon as their health condition allows, Qudah continued. Out of the 110 Jordanian pilgrims registered in the lists of missing pilgrims, 96 have been found. Ambassador Qudah also said that sear ch operations are still underway for 7 missing Jordanian pilgrims, with joint efforts from the cell formed by the ministry, which works around the clock in coordination with the Jordanian Consulate in Jeddah, the Jordanian embassy in Riyadh, the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs and with the competent Saudi authorities. Qudah renewed his call to all Jordanian citizens who performed Hajj and their families to contact the Jordanian Consulate General team in Mecca to request assistance, report missing persons, or arrange for the transfer of bodies in cases of death around the clock, through the following numbers: Source: Jordan News Agency