Hajj Minister Says East Java Pilgrim Deaths Down 28 Percent

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has recorded a decline in the number of pilgrims from East Java who died in Saudi Arabia during the 2026 hajj season. Minister Mochamad Irfan Yusuf stated that the figure fell from 107 deaths last year to 77 this year, a reduction of approximately 28 percent. “It is almost evenly distributed. In East Java, there were 77 compared to 107 last year. A reduction of 30. Alhamdulillah, that means a decrease of about 28 percent,” Gus Irfan said during the closing of the Indonesian hajj pilgrim repatriation operation at the Sukolilo Hajj Dormitory in Surabaya on Wednesday (1/7). However, Gus Irfan stressed that this achievement is not yet ideal or meeting the ministry’s target. “But that is not the ideal figure according to us. We will try to improve it further,” he said. The downward trend in mortality aligns with the national figures. The ministry recorded an overall decline in the pilgrim mortality rate of around 20 percent compared to the previous year. Nevertheless, Gus Irfan emphasised that this result is not yet satisfactory and pledged to tighten the istitha’ah, or health screening, for pilgrims ahead of the 2027 hajj season. “This year we have succeeded in reducing the mortality rate by around 20-something percent, but that is not a satisfactory figure. We will further tighten the implementation of health istitha’ah,” he said. Furthermore, Gus Irfan revealed that nationally, 367 pilgrims and one hajj officer died in Saudi Arabia during this year’s hajj season. “A total of 367 pilgrims and one hajj officer died in Saudi Arabia. We consider this number still quite large, although it is still much smaller than in previous years,” he said. “For the pilgrims who passed away, we certainly pray that they will achieve husnul khatimah. Families can submit life insurance claims, which we will also assist with,” he added. In addition to the deceased pilgrims, the ministry noted that dozens of pilgrims are still receiving treatment in Saudi Arabian hospitals, spread across three different cities. “There are still 60 pilgrims being treated in Saudi hospitals: seven in Jeddah, 31 in Madinah, and 22 in Mecca,” he said. Gus Irfan stated that his ministry will review all aspects of the hajj operation, including the health istitha’ah requirement. He mentioned that a comprehensive evaluation forum will be held starting this weekend over three days. “This weekend we will conduct an overall hajj evaluation. We will assess all aspects of what we have done,” he concluded.