The Maldives Hajj Mission has stated that all Maldivian Hajj pilgrims are in good health and will begin returning home on July 20.
The pilgrims will return in three groups on July 20, 23, and 27 on Saudia flights. The government has begun preparations to accommodate their return journeys.
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and First Lady Fazna Ahmed had met with the Maldivian Hajj pilgrims in Saudi Arabia. This was the first time in recent history that a president had met with Maldivians during their pilgrimage. A total of 453 Maldivian Pilgrims traveled to Saudi Arabia to perform this year’s Hajj pilgrimage and the president has been closely monitoring their travel and accommodation arrangements.
The Saudi government allowed one million people in the country to perform the Hajj pilgrimage this year, following the removal of COVID-19 restrictions. The amount is less than half of the 2.5 million people that were previously allowed to enter Saudi Arabia for the Hajj pilgrimage prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.