Two Hajj Pilgrims from South Sumatra Pass Away in Holy Land

Two Hajj pilgrims from South Sumatra Province have died while performing their religious duties in the Holy Land of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The head of the South Sumatra Office of the Ministry of Hajj, M Arkan Nurwahiddin, confirmed on Monday that the deceased were members of flight group 5, which arrived back in the country on Monday (8/6). “We confirm the passing of two pilgrims from flight group 5 while performing their worship in the Holy Land, namely Tamrin Zainudin Zakaria, aged 67, from Musi Banyuasin Regency, and Budi Prasodjo Soenom, aged 72, from Palembang City,” he said. He stated that Budi Prasodjo died on 6 June 2026 at 10:20 Saudi Arabia Standard Time and was buried in Sharaya, Makkah, whilst Tamrin Zainudin Zakaria died on 7 June 2026 at 17:30 Saudi Arabia Standard Time, also buried in Sharaya, Makkah, after the peak phase of the Hajj pilgrimage at Arafah, Muzdalifah, and Mina. Despite the sad news, he assured that the return process for the other 443 pilgrims from flight group 5, who landed on Monday afternoon, proceeded smoothly thanks to intensive coordination from all elements of the reception committee. The South Sumatra Provincial Government expressed its condolences on the passing of these two ‘guests of Allah’ into the presence of The Creator. The Assistant for Government and People’s Welfare of the South Sumatra Regional Secretariat, Apriyadi, during the welcome speech for the pilgrims at the South Sumatra Hajj Dormitory Hall, invited all parties to pray for the deceased and the families left behind. “For the families of the pilgrims who passed away in the Holy Land, let us pray together that the deceased achieve husnulkhatimah and that the families left behind are granted fortitude,” he said. The Hajj Organising Committee for the Palembang Debarkation noted that one pilgrim, Muhammad Nuh, underwent a transfer from flight group 7 and returned home earlier with the group 5 contingent. All arriving pilgrims were immediately directed to the Hajj Dormitory for final health checks and administrative procedures before being officially released to their respective regions of origin. The committee asserted it will continue to conduct periodic evaluations to maintain excellent service standards for subsequent flight groups.