More pilgrims 'still missing'

2006-01-13 12:31

Islamabad - More than 60 Asians are known to have died in the deadly stampede during the haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia and many more remain unaccounted for in the ensuing confusion, officials said on Friday.

Pakistan said at least 30 of its pilgrims were among the 345 people crushed to death on Thursday, while rushing to hurl pebbles at three pillars symbolising Satan in Mina, near the holy city of Mecca.

Pakistani foreign ministry spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said: "It's estimated that maybe about 30 to 35 Pakistanis may have died.

"At the moment our people are visiting the mortuaries and trying to confirm."

An official from the Pakistani haj directorate said several more of the 150 000 Pakistanis who went on the annual ritual this year were still missing.

Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Navtej Sarna said that at least 26 pilgrims from neighbouring India were killed in the stampede.

Among the dead were 15 women. Seven pilgrims were discharged after treatment for minor injuries. Another six Indians in hospitals were out of danger.

Indian media reports said some 100 Indians were missing, but officials said many might have been separated from families and friends in the confusion and should not be presumed dead.

Lack of co-ordination

In Indonesia, which is the world's most populous Muslim nation and sent the most pilgrims on the haj, a leader of the country's Islamic authority blamed a lack of co-ordination for the disaster.

Amidhan, vice-chairman of the Indonesian Council of Muslim Scholars, said at least two Indonesians were among those killed. However, some 200 000 Indonesian pilgrims had been advised to perform the ritual in the late afternoon, after the busiest period.

He said: "The incident could have been avoided had other countries - for example, African countries - advised their flocks not to carry out the stoning at the preferred time", when the area was the most crowded.

According to a foreign ministry statement in Beijing, four Chinese citizens were also among the dead.

Officials in Bangladesh, the world's third biggest Muslim nation, said they were still checking in hospitals to find out whether there were any deaths among its 52 000 pilgrims.

Malaysia said its pilgrims escaped because they were advised to perform the stoning ritual in the evening. The Philippines and Thailand said there were no indications any of its nationals had died.

Afghanistan said it had no information yet on its pilgrims.

The stampede was the latest in a succession of tragedies to hit the haj pilgrimage despite efforts by Saudi authorities to avoid a repeat of disasters like the one that killed 1 426 people in 1990.

Saudi officials blamed unruly pilgrims from outside officially approved tours, while eyewitnesses said security forces triggered chaos by suddenly blocking the entrance to the bridge where the pillars were located.

- AFP