Cairo – Mubasher: Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly chaired a crisis meeting on the deaths of Egyptian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia.

Madbouly expressed condolences and said the meeting, mandated by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, aims to support families and prevent future incidents, according to a cabinet statement.

He ordered the withdrawal of licences from 16 fraudulent tourism companies that enabled unofficial pilgrim travel and referred officials to prosecution.

Madbouly noted the official Egyptian Hajj delegation exceeds 50,000 pilgrims, who are continuously monitored.

Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said most of the deceased were irregular pilgrims as the sanctioned companies did not provide services.