A severe heatwave during the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia led to the deaths of over 900 pilgrims. According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), the extreme temperatures, reaching up to 51.8°C in Mecca, resulted in at least 600 fatalities among Egyptian pilgrims.

The total death toll was reported at 922, with many of the deceased being elderly or infirm individuals participating in the largely outdoor pilgrimage, which took place during the intense Saudi summer. The harsh conditions prompted relatives to scour hospitals and turn to social media, posting pictures and seeking information about their missing loved ones.

Besides Egypt, fatalities were confirmed by authorities in Jordan, Indonesia, Iran, Senegal, Tunisia, and Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region. However, in many instances, the exact causes of death were not specified.

Despite the overall grim reports, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) announced that only three Nigerian pilgrims died during the event. Abubakar Adamu Ismail, the head of NAHCON’s medical team, credited the lower death toll to adequate preparation and the proximity of the Nigerian hajj camp. He noted that 17 Nigerian pilgrims suffered from heat stroke but were successfully resuscitated. He emphasized that if these cases had occurred farther away in Jamarat, about 3 kilometers from the camps, the outcomes might have been fatal.

Ismail also reported two miscarriages, 25 cases of severe dehydration, and five cardiac arrests among Nigerian pilgrims.

NAHCON's head of Aviation, Mohammed Goni Sanda, announced that outbound flights for Nigerian pilgrims would commence on June 22, starting with pilgrims from Kebbi State. The return flights will follow a first-in-first-out schedule, beginning with three flights daily and gradually increasing to as many as six flights per day.

NAHCON Chairman Jalal Ahmed Arabi indicated that preparations for the 2025 Hajj are already underway. He urged state pilgrims' welfare boards to finalize their preparations by September to ensure an accurate count of participants for the next pilgrimage.