MINA: Representatives of Pakistan, Egypt, Iran, India and other countries have begun the painful task of identifying their nationals among 717 pilgrims who died in Thursday’s Haj stampede.
The bodies of the victims were moved from hospitals to a morgue in the Muaisam area of Mina throughout Thursday night.
At the morgue, the bodies were washed and photographed for identification. Their thumbprints were taken to help match them with the database of pilgrims that Saudi immigration authorities collect on arrival, and authorities displayed the pictures of 500 of them for relatives and Haj group leaders to recognize them.
Nearly 300 Pakistanis have been reported missing. “The actual missing figure was 432 but 100 were located on Friday,” said a Pakistani Haj volunteer who requested anonymity. “Missing does not in any way mean that they have died,” he clarified.
Ten Pakistanis have been confirmed dead and seven injured.
Indians identified 16 bodies. “We issued a list of 14 dead early Friday,” Indian Consul General B.S. Mubarak told Arab News. “We identified two more bodies on Friday evening.”
The Indian consul general and his team stayed up late to deal with harried relatives of pilgrims who are missing.
According to an Indian volunteer organization, a large group from Mangalore remains unaccounted for. Members of the group said their fellow pilgrims were in the area where the tragedy occurred.
Health Minister Khalid Al-Falih suggested that the stampede may have been caused by pilgrims failing to follow instructions from the pilgrim establishments.
In a statement posted on the ministry’s website, Al-Falih said an investigation would be conducted rapidly into the worst disaster to strike the annual pilgrimage for 25 years.
“The investigations, which was perhaps because some pilgrims moved without following instructions by the relevant authorities, will be fast and will be announced as has happened in other incidents,” said the statement.
Al-Falih said the injured were being transferred to hospitals in Makkah and if necessary on other parts of the country.
Among the victims are expatriates living in the Kingdom. One source said a group of five Keralite expatriates from Riyadh died in the tragedy.
Authorities in Indonesia said at least three Indonesian pilgrims died.
Kenyan officials say three of the dead are from their country.
Egypt’s Religious Endowments Minister Mohammed Mokhtar Gomaa told the state-run MENA news agency that the death toll for his country has risen to 14 and 30 injured.
Four Turks were killed and five remain missing.
Iran confirmed the death of 131 of its nationals in the stampede.
“A full breakdown of nationalities will take time,” a doctor at an emergency section of a top hospital in Mina, told Arab News on Friday.
He said most of the pilgrims died of asphyxiation. He said it would have been possible to resuscitate some of them but the hospitals were overwhelmed in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy.
He said most of the victims were trampled to death. “The bodies had gory foot marks on their chests, neck... which means the pilgrims from behind were trying to climb out over them.”
Grim task of identifying the stampede victims begins
Grim task of identifying the stampede victims begins
Saudi Arabia witnessing comprehensive cultural development, says expert
- Clotilde Entrecanales of Acciona hails pace of change in Kingdom
JEDDAH: Museums, exhibitions and art centers play a crucial role in the development of free and educated societies such as the one now burgeoning in Saudi Arabia, an expert has told Arab News.
Clotilde Entrecanales, the Spanish art historian and cultural executive who heads Acciona Living & Culture, a leading creator of technology-driven interactive museums, exhibits and events, said the Kingdom is making efforts to expand the role of culture development to show the world the greatest possible cultural offer.
She added that the Kingdom has quickly infused new energy into the region, and is rapidly establishing itself as a global cultural hub through massive investment in world-class museums, public art and international events, aligning with its 2030 vision.
She said: “With around 70 percent of the population under 30, cultural consumption looks very different than in Europe or the US. These spaces can’t feel like quiet, isolated institutions … they need to be fast, dynamic, brave and deeply connected to the city, blending into everyday urban life rather than sitting apart from it.”
Asked about the role of these sites in the evolving global cultural landscape, particularly in emerging cultural hubs like Saudi Arabia, Entrecanales said: “Our vision is to be a purpose-led partner for cultural and entertainment institutions, helping them be more relevant, connected, inclusive and sustainable.”
She added: “In emerging cultural hubs like Saudi Arabia, that approach feels especially relevant. The cultural transformation underway is moving fast — with major heritage and cultural destinations being developed and opened to the world.”
Speaking about her impression of the Kingdom’s approach to blending heritage with modernity face, Entrecanales said: “Others who attempt to achieve this balance often end up turning heritage into a theme, a layer of storytelling or a cultural program. What feels different about Saudi’s approach is how much pressure there is to treat heritage as the foundation, not just the surface.
“When you’re building at this speed and scale, there’s always a risk that history becomes a backdrop instead of a backbone. The projects that work best are the ones that slow down just enough to let the past set the rhythm for the present.”
Regarding opportunities and challenges, she said: “The opportunity is nothing less than positioning Saudi Arabia as a global cultural center. The challenge, as always, lies in balancing the speed and scale of that ambition with long-term sustainability and a sense of authenticity that remains credible and rooted.”
She added: “You can really feel this in places like the Islamic Arts Biennale, which shows hundreds of historical artefacts of the Islamic world, while re-framing them through contemporary scenography and designs by some of the best design studios in the world; or in AlUla, a world-class heritage site that hosts a major contemporary platform like Desert X, allowing ancient context and present-day artistic practice to coexist in a way that feels genuine.”
Under her guidance, ACCIONA Cultura aspires to create museums and cultural experiences that function as landmarks while fostering sustainable, inclusive and immersive interactions.
She elaborated on how the company is integrating technology, culture, and sustainability to preserve and promote the region’s cultural heritage: “We always start with human connection and storytelling: what’s the story, what should people leave with? Tech comes later.”
Recently, ACCIONA Cultura has been involved in significant projects in Saudi Arabia and is looking forward for more.
She said: “Right now, for example, we’re designing and curating a museum gallery where the entire space is shaped by the practice of a Saudi artist. Another example is the Net Zero exhibition at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra), where we brought together Saudi and international artists to explore sustainability and our relationship with the planet, including voices like Dina Haddadin, Mohammed Al-Faraj, and Zahrah Al-Ghamdi.”
She added: “One of the projects I’m most proud of isn’t a museum, but our NEXT IN Summit, which we’ve hosted in two editions in our ACCIONA Campus in Madrid, highlighting the Kingdom’s unprecedented cultural momentum as it builds future-facing institutions with a startup mindset.”
About further collaboration with Saudi Arabia, she said: “Let’s just say … something’s definitely simmering in the kitchen.”
Commenting on being recognized among the Blooloop 50 Museum Influencers for 2025, she said: “It means a lot. More than anything, it feels like a nod to the years of teamwork and dedication behind Acciona Cultura, rather than to me personally.”
