EgyptAir started ransferring the remaining Egyptian Hajj pilgrims back to Egypt from Saudi Arabia on Saturday, the airline said in a statement.
Around 70,000 pilgrims will return on board 21 flights, which will continue until October 3.
Meanwhile, seaports have been placed on alert to receive thousands more pilgrims returning by ship.
The first flight carrying 455 pilgrims arrived on Saturday at Cairo International Airport, coming from Jeddah. The pilgrims were from Port Said and Menoufiya. The first group of 146 pilgrims coming via land and sea arrived at the port of Nuweiba.
Malak Youssef, spokesperson for the Red Sea Ports Authority, said Safaga seaport has been placed on alert. A committee has been following the return of pilgrims to resolve any problems that occur with buses while passing through security checkpoints.
In related news, Major General Sayed Maher, deputy interior minister for the administrative affairs sector, said the total number of Egyptians who died on Hajj piligrimage this year currently stands at 44. All died of natural causes in individual cases and were buried in Saudi Arabia.
Ashraf al-Araby, head of the official pilgrimage mission, will draft a report for the Cabinet before end of the month highlighting the main problems Egyptian pilgrims faced this year.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
