46 Indonesians Among More than 1,000 Killed in Mina Tragedy

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta-On the fifth day after the Mina tragedy that killed more than a thousand pilgrims from various countries, Indonesian Hajj organizers (PPIH) has been able to identify 42 bodies of Indonesian pilgrims and four Indonesian citizens residing in Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Religious Affairs announced on their website. The total citizens died in the September 22 tragedy is 46 people.

"The number of pilgrims who died previously released was 45 people consisting of 41 citizens and 4 residents pilgrims. We have identified another victim under the name Dahlia Sulaeman Hamdan from kloter BTH 14," said Head of Mecca Work Area Arsyad Hidayat said Tuesday, September 29.

As for the wounded, previously there were 10 people who were hospitalized in Saudi Arabia. Three people had returned to their quarters. “Seven people still undergo treatment at the hospital," he said.

The team continues to seek information on the whereabouts of the missing Hajj Pilgrims by sweeping hospitals and identifying corpse at Al Muaishim graveyard, Mecca.

Previously, Indonesian Minister of Religious Affairs Lukman Hakim Saifuddin said that his team received some 1,107 photos for identification.

Saifuddin said there are five morgue containers of unidentified corpses at Al Muashim, Mecca, so the Hajj Committee (PPIH) team will return there to search.

"At first, we saw four containers, now there are five containers, each container contains dozens of bodies," said Lukman in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Monday, after describing the government actions in identifying victims of the tragedy.

ARIEF HIDAYAT | NZM