Diplomats Say At Least 550 Pilgrims Died During Hajj, Mostly Egyptians

A Muslim pilgrim prays at dawn on Saudi Arabia's Mount Arafat during the climax of the hajj (Credit: AFP)

Diplomats said on Tuesday that at least 550 pilgrims died during the hajj, underscoring the gruelling nature of the pilgrimage which again unfolded in scorching temperatures this year.

At least 323 of those who died were Egyptians, most of them succumbing to heat-related illnesses, the two Arab diplomats coordinating their countries' responses told AFP.