DUBAI, June 19. /TASS/. Four Russian pilgrims have died in Saudi Arabia while performing Hajj, the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, told TASS representative of the Russian Consulate General in Jeddah.
"To date, four Russian citizens - one man and three women - have died during the Hajj. Their deaths occurred due to natural causes related to health and age," the agency's spokesman said.
According to a representative of the diplomatic mission, the pilgrims were making the hajj accompanied by their relatives, who are currently dealing with the burial of Russian citizens. All the pilgrims are likely to be buried in Mecca. The consulate has already issued four death certificates; the Russian mission has not received any requests to repatriate the bodies.
AFP news agency reported, citing sources, that at least 550 pilgrims had died in Saudi Arabia during the hajj due to the heat. According to them, the bodies have been taken to one of the largest morgues in Mecca. Among the dead are 323 Egyptian nationals. People most often die due to extreme heat. The temperature in Mecca during this year's Hajj reached almost 52 degrees Celsius.