"Hopefully, they will be found, whether alive or otherwise," said Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar on Monday.
He suggested that the three missing pilgrims may be suffering from dementia, a condition that might not have been detected during pre-departure medical screenings.
The extreme heat in Saudi Arabia, where temperatures have reached up to 50 degrees Celsius, is believed to have worsened their condition.
"Most likely, during the medical examination, they appeared fine. But once they arrived and were exposed to the 50-degree heat, their condition may have deteriorated. This could explain why they remain unaccounted for," Umar said.
In response to questions about preventive measures, the minister noted that the government had distributed identification bracelets to all pilgrims. However, some had reportedly removed them.
These bracelets contain important information that helps officers identify and assist lost pilgrims by tracing them back to their accommodations.
"The problem is, many pilgrims took off their bracelets. One woman was found without any form of identification. Hajj officers suspected she was Indonesian, and it turned out she was," Umar said.
In some cases, pilgrims had even left all forms of ID, including passports and name tags, in their hotel rooms before going missing.
The Director of Domestic Hajj Services at the ministry, M. Zain, said Saudi authorities plan to match DNA samples from the missing pilgrims with those of unidentified deceased individuals.
"According to Saudi Arabia’s Nusuk Office, the three individuals have not left the country. We continue to pray for their safe return," he said.
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Translator: Asep, Kenzu
Editor: Anton Santoso
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