The Tragic Story of an Indonesian Man Who Died During the Hajj Pilgrimage
The recent Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca turned tragic for the family of an elderly Indonesian man, Ngatijo Wongso Sentono, who passed away during the annual Islamic pilgrimage. Despite the extreme heat causing over 1,300 deaths this year, Sentono’s daughter, Heru Jumartiyah, expressed relief that her father was laid to rest in the holy city of Mecca.
Jumartiyah shared that her father, an enthusiastic Hajj participant, had traveled to Mecca with his wife and neighbors from Yogyakarta. While he showed no signs of sickness before his sudden passing, he was buried in Mecca as a blessing, fulfilling one of the five pillars of Islam.
Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, mourns the loss of at least 215 citizens from this year’s pilgrimage. The officials have attributed the high number of casualties to extreme heat, unofficial pilgrimages, and poor infrastructure.
With temperatures soaring to record levels and fatalities on the rise, the future of the Hajj pilgrimage faces challenges in ensuring the safety and well-being of all participants.