CAIRO: Egypt has officially delivered the results of 90 DNA samples of 54 families of pilgrims missing since a last month in a huge stampede during Hajj season to Saudi authorities, Youm7 reported Friday.
The kingdom will compare between the Egyptian results of the samples and the bodies of those killed in the crush.
At least 181 Egyptians died in the stampede, which killed thousands of pilgrims. The names of the dead and the missing Egyptian pilgrims were previously announced by the Ministry of Health.
According to Assistant Justice Minister for Forensic Medicine Shaaban, three teams of senior forensic doctors supervised the collection of the samples, which took place at three hospitals.
The stampede occurred while almost 2 million pilgrims from all over the world were simultaneously performing the “stoning of the devil” ritual in Mina near Mecca. The crush claimed the lives of at least 717 and injured more than 800, according to media reports.
According to the AP, Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry said the crush appears to have been caused by two waves of pilgrims meeting at an intersection.
Cairo International Airport has received a number Egyptian pilgrims injured in the crush.
The Hajj, or Islamic pilgrimage, is one of Islam’s five pillars; it is a once in a lifetime obligation on Muslims who can bear the ritual physically and financially.