The Malaysian delegation of Hajj pilgrims were far removed from the scene of yesterday’s tragic stampede in Mina, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Jamil Khir Baharom said today.
As the stampede took place after the jamrah or “stoning of the devil” rites in Mina, Malaysian Hajj candidates were three kilometres away. At any rate, the route on which the stampede happened was not one allocated to Malaysian pilgrim groups.
Jamil Khir told Bernama that most of the stampede’s victims were pilgrims from Middle Eastern countries.
The stampede yesterday was believed to have been instigated by the sudden exit of a large number of pilgrims from the site of the jamrah rites, causing many to be trapped in heavy traffic and causing a panic.
To date, more that 700 people have been confirmed dead, with over 800 more injured as a result of the stampede.
This has been the second major tragedy to have taken place during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage. On September 11, a crane fell near the Haram Mosque in Mecca, killing 107 pilgrims, seven of which were Malaysians.
