Friday 17 August 2018

Hajj pilgrim arrivals continue apace

As of August 16, the Saudi Press Agency has reported that Hajj pilgrim arrivals reached 1,684,629 according to the Directorate General For Passports, KSA.

Those arriving by air reached 1,584,085, while 84,381 pilgrims came by land and 16,163 pilgrims by sea. The total number of pilgrims who arrived in Madinah as of August 15 was 841,734 according to daily statistics issued by the Unit of Media and Social Communication in Hajj Committee in Madinah. Another 131,608 pilgrims remained in Madinah.

The Saudi Press Agency separately reported that Palestinian pilgrims of the families of martyrs left for KSA on August 15. The pilgrims are guests of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques under a Hajj and umrah programme supervised by Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance for more than 5,000 pilgrims from 94 countries in the world. They follow the first Hajj mission from Palestine, which left on August 11.
 
The arrival of the last flights as part of the Makkah Road initiative on August 16 marked the completion of the initiative for Hajj 2018, the Saudi Press Agency said. The initiative took place at the Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta airports in Malaysia and Indonesia respectively, benefitting 103,057 pilgrims through 240 flights, including 137 flights at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and 103 flights at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Airport in Madinah, KSA.

On August 15, the Oman News Agency reported that the 2018 Military Hajj Mission left the country on Royal Air Force of Oman Transport planes, to Makkah.

The Military Hajj Mission is sent annually upon the royal orders and directives of HM the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces to the personnel of SAF and other military and security apparatuses, and may involve active personnel as well as retirees.

The Kuwait News Agency reported the same day that Kuwait Airways sent 4,654 Hajj pilgrims on 16 flights to  King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Airport in Madinah.