20 Indonesian haj pilgrims die

JAKARTA: The peak of the haj pilgrimage is still two weeks away, but 20 Indonesian pilgrims have already died in Saudi Arabia as of Monday.

The Haj Media Center reported that 12 Indonesian pilgrims died in Medina, three in Jedda and five in Mecca. Most of them died of heart attack.

Sixteen of the dead pilgrims were below the age of 50, raising questions about the thoroughness of the medical examinations they received back home before departing on the haj. All pilgrims receive health checks prior to their departure.

Since the departure of the first group of pilgrims on Dec. 30, no fewer than 96,489 Indonesians have arrived for the pilgrimage. An estimate 205,000 Indonesians were registered as haj pilgrims this season. -- Antara