Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly on Saturday (22 June) revoked the licences of 16 tourism companies and referred their managers to the public prosecutor over illegal pilgrimages to Mecca, accusing them of being responsible for the deaths of Egyptian pilgrims in the city.
"The prime minister has ordered the cancellation of the licences of these companies, the referral of their managers to the public prosecutor and the imposition of a fine in favour of the families of the pilgrims who died because of them," the Egyptian cabinet statement said.
The cabinet statement said that more than 50,000 Egyptians had officially joined the pilgrimage and that there had been "31 deaths as a result of chronic diseases". The order also came after countries whose citizens performed this year's hajj reported more than 1,100 deaths, many blamed on the scorching summer heat in Saudi Arabia.
Medical and security sources say at least 530 Egyptians died during this year's hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, while the statement from the unit, formed on Thursday and headed by Prime Minister Madbouly, said 31 deaths had been confirmed as a result of chronic illness.
