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Air India ferried hundred thousand Haj pilgrims this year
Mumbai: Air-India has ferried nearly one hundred thousand Haj pilgrims to Jeddah and Medina and back during the current year and the second phase of return of the pilgrims has commenced. An Air-India release said, 'A total of 97,176 adults, 109 children and 316 infants were carried to Jeddah and Medina during this period and the Phase II of return haj operations has commenced. The return phase is expected to finish by 18th February". In the first phase of haj pilgrimage to Jeddah and Medina which commenced on December 3 and concluded on January 5, 2006, a total 336 flights were operated. Out of this Air India operated 109 flights, Indian Airlines 30 and Saudia 197 from the 15 points of embarkation, the release added. Air-India has given a special baggage allowance of 45 kilograms of checked baggage, 10 kilograms of hand baggage and 10 litres of Zam Zam Water to the pilgrims on arrival, the release said. The entire second phase of return journey from Haj will be conducted by Air-India with wet-leased aircraft and 310 owned aircraft along with Indian Airlines and Saudia, the release said.
The Indian Consulate in Jeddah had confirmed the death of 52 Indian pilgrims
in the Mina stampede on January 12. The deceased included 29 women. The
casualties also include two Indians resident in Saudi Arabia. According
to Saudi officials, a total of 354 people died and 289 injured in the
incident. The stampede took place at around 2 p.m. (IST) in Mina on the
last day of the Haj on January 12. The incident took place when the pilgrims
were going for the ritual stoning of Shaitan (Rammi), at about 150 meters
of distance from the Jamarat Bridge, on which stoning of Shaitan is done.
-Jan
22, 2006
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