A quarter of a million pilgrims arrive in Saudi Arabia

As of Monday, a total of 269,537 pilgrims from various countries have arrived in the Kingdom. Of these pilgrims 268,633 came by air, 896 by sea and eight by land, according to a statement from the media center of the Directorate General of Passports.

Two pilgrims were transferred to the concerned security authorities after it was discovered that they were wanted by security agencies while another two pilgrims were sent back – one of them had no visa and the other was found with fake travel documents.

“All entry points into the Kingdom have been mobilized with adequate number of officials and high tech facilities to quickly complete the travel procedures of the pilgrims,” the Saudi Press Agency reported quoting the statement.

Meanwhile, Makkah Emir Prince Mishal Bin Abdullah, who is also head of the Central Haj Committee, will next week visit the Jeddah Islamic Port (JIP) to inspect its readiness for the hajj season. Prince Mishal will also review development projects at the seaport, which is expected to receive over 15,000 pilgrims this year.

This article was first published in Saudi Gazette on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2014.