The aftermath of this year's Hajj pilgrimage has sparked widespread investigations and concerns across the Muslim world, with countries grappling with pilgrim deaths, disappearances, and allegations of fraud.

In Jordan, judicial authorities have charged 29 individuals with human trafficking and fraud following the deaths of 99 Jordanian pilgrims. A judicial source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told local media: "The public prosecutor, after completing initial investigations, has charged 29 suspects with human trafficking felony and fraud misdemeanour related to the pilgrims' deaths." Nineteen suspects, including one woman, have been detained, while ten are barred from travel pending the case.

The source added: "Initial investigations revealed that the accused, owners of private transport and Hajj tour companies, organised unofficial pilgrimage trips without proper permits." The companies involved have been shut down.

The Jordanian comments follow criticism from Saudi authorities of people skipping the official lines to enter the Holy Hajj and pushing in, causing confusion. Many were left out in the extreme heat that is currently hitting the region.

Egypt's parliament is set to discuss the crisis surrounding Egyptian pilgrims. Hanafi Gebali, Speaker of the House of Representatives, announced during a general session, "The council is constantly informed of all details of this file. The Tourism and Civil Aviation Committee will meet today to discuss the problems faced by Egyptian pilgrims in the presence of the Minister of Tourism."

Gebali said, "We will examine the causes of the crisis and the decisions and measures taken against the non-compliant tourism companies that caused this problem, and follow up on their urgent implementation." He invited interested MPs to attend the committee meeting.

However, Nora Ali, head of the Tourism and Aviation Committee, later requested a postponement of the meeting due to the absence of the Tourism Minister and relevant officials who were abroad. "Given the importance of this issue, it's necessary to hear from the government to understand all aspects," Ali stated.

Meanwhile, in Morocco, a family is desperately searching for a 70-year-old woman who disappeared during the pilgrimage. Ahmed, the woman's son, reported in an audio recording, "Hajja Aisha disappeared on the second day of our stay in Mina, after I accompanied her early in the morning to perform ablutions at the bathrooms of Camp 20, designated for Moroccans. Since then, there has been no trace of her."

Ahmed has extended his stay to search for his missing mother, stating, "I haven't found any trace of her despite contacting security services and various hospitals in the area." He commended the Moroccan embassy and consulate for their cooperation in the search efforts.

Saudi Arabia reported over 1,300 pilgrimage-related deaths this year, coinciding with record high temperatures. The majority were reportedly "unauthorised pilgrims." Egypt alone confirmed 658 deaths, with 630 being unregistered pilgrims.

Jordan's Foreign Ministry announced that 21 Jordanian pilgrims were receiving treatment in Saudi hospitals, including 16 in critical condition. Jordan sent 8,000 pilgrims this year.

These incidents have raised serious questions about pilgrimage management and the effectiveness of measures to protect pilgrims, particularly the elderly and vulnerable. They also highlight the risks associated with unauthorised Hajj trips.

The Egyptian parliamentary Tourism Committee emphasised in a previous statement: "Official Hajj through the Hajj portal is the guarantee to preserve the rights and lives of pilgrims and protect them from brokers, providing them with necessary care and insurance."

As countries continue to investigate and address these issues, there are growing calls for improved safety measures and stricter regulation of pilgrimage organizations to prevent future tragedies. The incidents have also sparked debates about the need for better coordination between Arab countries and Saudi Arabia in managing the annual pilgrimage.

Saudi authorities stated that about 1.8mn people participated in this year's Hajj, including 1.6mn from abroad. This figure matches last year's attendance but falls short of the 2.5mn recorded in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the Hajj season concludes and pilgrims begin returning to their home countries, the full impact of this year's challenges is still unfolding, with many families anxiously awaiting news of their loved ones.

Earlier, the Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Tawfiq al-Rabiah, announced that this year's Hajj attracted 1.8mn pilgrims from over 200 countries.

Weather warning remain in place for Saudi Arabia, with temperatures on June 25 reaching 45 degrees Celsius with temperatures remaining in that zone for the next few days.

The Saudi authorities have attempted to cool down the pilgrims by spraying water vapour over large areas and bringing in other technologies to help.

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) suggests temperatures are going to keep rising for the next few years. The global mean near-surface temperature for each year between 2024 and 2028 is predicted to be between 1.1°C and 1.9°C higher than the 1850-1900 baseline, according to the WMO report. It says that it is likely (86%) that at least one of these years will set a new temperature record, beating 2023, currently the warmest year.

Last year’s global temperature was boosted by a strong El Niño. The WMO predicts the development of a La Niña and a return to cooler conditions in the tropical Pacific in the near term.