Hajj Ministry intensifies search for missing Indonesian pilgrim in Mecca
Makkah (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah through the Saudi Arabia-based Hajj Services Officers (PPIH) has intensified the search for an Indonesian prospective hajj pilgrim reported missing in the city of Mecca by conducting thorough sweeps across various locations, from hotel areas to hospitals.
Chair of the Hajj Media Center (MCH) for PPIH Saudi Arabia, Ichsan Marsha, in Mecca, on Wednesday, said that the ministry has handled the search process seriously, proactively, and in a structured manner since the report was first received.
The missing pilgrim is Muhammad Firdaus Ahlan, part of cluster JKG 27 Group 1 from KBIH Imam Bonjol.
As a demonstration of the commitment to protection, PPIH has formed several special teams deployed to various points, including the area between hotels, the Masjid al-Haram precinct, and main road corridors. Additional protection teams were also deployed from Madinah to widen the reach of the search.
Moreover, officers actively checked all hospitals in Mecca and the surrounding region to ensure Firdaus is not receiving medical treatment there.
Intense coordination has also been established with the Saudi Arabian Police via formal reporting to maximise the search process. At the same time, PPIH officers continue to provide moral support to Firdaus’s wife, who is also performing the pilgrimage in the Holy Land.
According to CCTV footage, Firdaus was last seen leaving his hotel on Friday (15/5) at approximately 09:04 local time. He was wearing a white koko shirt, a black sarong, and was only carrying a Hajj bracelet. At the time, the hotel lobby was reported to be relatively quiet as most prospective pilgrims were preparing to perform Friday prayers.
Ichsan urged Indonesian prospective pilgrims not to travel alone and to report to the nearest officer if they see or have information about Firdaus’s whereabouts.
To maintain focus on the search, PPIH also asked the public to stay calm and not to spread unverified information to prevent the spread of hoaxes.
PPIH is committed to continuing to update the family’s and the public on the search’s progress until Firdaus is found.