A Riyadh-based Filipina was among the casualties from the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed on Friday, June 21.
According to DFA Usec. Eddie de Vega, about 5,100 Filipinos joined the pilgrimage this year.
Meanwhile, in a separate announcement, the Philippine Embassy in Saudi Arabia through Charge De Affaires (CDA) Rommel Romato said that the Filipina was not a member of the Hajj delegation of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF).
Romato added that the OFW was rushed to the Makkah Hospital but his life was eventually taken away.
Romato said the OFW was buried in Makkah on Wednesday, June 19, through the coordination of the Philippine Embassy and Consulate General Hajj teams, along with the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) based in Jeddah.
The deceased 37-year-old OFW was reportedly from Western Mindanao.
Citing reports, the temperature in Mecca reached 120 degrees Fahrenheit or 49 degrees Celsius.
Saudi government reported that 2,700 pilgrims have received medical attention due to heatstroke.
An estimated 1.8 million people are believed to have participated in the Hajj this year.
Pilgrimage is a fifth of Islam's fundamental practices, also known as the Five Pillars of Islam.
