Latest News
Hajj Pilgrims perform stoning ritual at Jamrat al-Aqaba in smooth operation
Over the decades, the Hajj pilgrimage has faced several major tragedies, largely linked to crowd crushes, extreme heat, and tent fires during peak rituals.
Large numbers of Hajj pilgrims began performing the stoning ritual in Mina from the early hours of the first day of Eid al-Adha, casting seven pebbles at the largest pillar, Jamrat al-Aqaba, amid smooth and orderly movement in line with the approved crowd-management plan.
Pilgrims carried out the ritual in an organised manner across the levels of the Jamarat Bridge, with no overcrowding or pushing reported. Security, medical, ambulance, sanitation, and civil defence teams were fully deployed throughout the area, while security personnel regulated the flow of pilgrims at entrances, exits, and surrounding routes.
Movement toward the Jamarat Bridge and surrounding courtyards remained gradual and well-coordinated, with pilgrims travelling in managed groups distributed across different levels according to the operational plan.
After completing the ritual, they returned smoothly to their accommodation sites, while roads across Mina experienced steady and flexible traffic flow for both vehicles and pedestrians throughout the day.
Careful crowd control
Over the decades, the Hajj pilgrimage has faced several major tragedies, largely linked to crowd crushes, extreme heat, and tent fires during peak rituals. In response, Saudi authorities have invested heavily in expanding infrastructure and improving crowd-management systems to reduce risks and enhance pilgrim safety.
One of the deadliest incidents occurred in 1990, when 1,426 pilgrims died in a stampede inside a pedestrian tunnel in Mina due to overcrowding and ventilation failure.
In 2015, another major disaster struck during the stoning ritual at Jamarat, where at least 2,000 pilgrims were killed in a crowd crush, making it one of the worst incidents in Hajj history.
Extreme weather has also taken a heavy toll. During the 2024 Hajj season, more than 1,300 pilgrims reportedly died amid an intense heatwave, with temperatures exceeding 50°C, leading to widespread cases of heatstroke and dehydration.
Earlier disasters also prompted major safety reforms, including the Mina tent fires of 1975 and 1997.
The 1975 blaze, triggered by a gas cylinder explosion, killed around 200 people, while the 1997 fire claimed more than 340 lives.
Following these incidents, authorities replaced traditional tents with modern fire-resistant structures as part of broader safety upgrades.
