Hajj Minister Says East Java Pilgrim Deaths Down 28 Percent

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has recorded a decrease in the number of Hajj pilgrims from East Java who passed away in Saudi Arabia during the 2026 Hajj season.

The Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Mochamad Irfan Yusuf, stated that from 107 pilgrims who died last year, the figure has dropped to 77 this year, representing a reduction of approximately 28 per cent.

“It is almost even. In East Java, there were 77 compared to 107 last year. A reduction of 30. Alhamdulillah, that means a decrease of about 28 per cent,” said Gus Irfan during the closing of the Indonesian Hajj pilgrim repatriation operations at the Sukolilo Hajj Dormitory, Surabaya, on Wednesday (1/7).

Nevertheless, Gus Irfan emphasised that this achievement is not yet ideal or at the target level expected by his department. “But that is not an ideal figure in our view. We will strive to improve it further,” he said.

This downward trend in mortality rates aligns with national achievements. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah noted an overall decrease in the death rate of pilgrims by approximately 20 per cent compared to the previous year.

However, Gus Irfan maintained that these results are not yet satisfactory and promised to tighten ‘istitha’ah’—the health competency examinations—for the 2027 Hajj implementation. “This year we have successfully reduced the death rate by around 20-something per cent, but it is not a satisfying figure. We will tighten the implementation of health competency checks even further,” he stated.

Furthermore, Gus Irfan revealed that nationally, 367 pilgrims and one Hajj official passed away in Saudi Arabia during this year’s Hajj season. “It is recorded that 367 pilgrims and 1 Hajj official died in Saudi Arabia. This is a number that we believe is still quite large, even though it is much smaller than in previous years,” he noted.

“For the pilgrims who passed away, we certainly pray that they achieve a good end. Families can file life insurance claims, which we will also assist with,” he added.

In addition to the deceased, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah noted that dozens of pilgrims are still undergoing treatment in Saudi Arabian hospitals. They are spread across three different cities.

“There are still 60 pilgrims being treated in Saudi Arabian hospitals: 7 in Jeddah, 31 in Madinah, and 22 in Mecca,” said Gus Irfan.

Gus Irfan stated that his department will review all aspects of the Hajj administration, including health competency. He mentioned that a comprehensive evaluation forum will be held starting this weekend for three days.

“At the end of this week, we will conduct a full evaluation of the Hajj. We will assess every aspect of our operations,” he concluded.