7 Myanmar Muslims still unaccounted for after Hajj crush

YANGON

At least seven Myanmar Muslims are still unnacounted for following last week's Hajj stampede, the Myanmar Times reported Monday.

The Myanmar Muslim Association has reported that five of its members were among the 769 who died Sept. 24 at Mina, around 5 kilometers (3 miles) east of Islam’s holy city of Mecca.

The stampede -- the worst Hajj disaster in 25 years -- came just two weeks after 107 people were killed by a crane collapse at Mecca’s Grand Mosque.

Federation spokesperson U Ko Ko Latt told the Myanmar Times that 3,850 Myanmar pilgrims had gone on this year's hajj, including 280 who had been sponsored by Saudi authorities.

So far, two women and three men had been confirmed dead, he said, adding that his group would meet with the Saudi embassy in the country Monday to ask that the government take responsibility for those injured and killed.

Mina is the site of the final major ritual in the hajj pilgrimage, in which pilgrims throw seven stones at one of three walls representing the devil. The incident is reported to have occurred in one of the streets leading to the ritual site.

Meanwhile, Indonesia's Religious Affairs Ministry reported Monday that the number of confirmed pilgrims from the country killed during the stampede had increased to 41.

Spokesperson Abdul Djamil told reporters that 82 Indonesians were also reported to still be missing, according to the Jakarta Post.

“We will continue search operations to find the whereabouts of the 82 people who have not yet returned to their lodgings,” he said.

Muslims make up around five percent of Myanmar's population of 51-million.