RIYADH, 6 February — About half a million pilgrims have arrived in the Kingdom for Haj, Director General of Passports Department Maj. Gen. Abdul Aziz Sajeeni said yesterday. "The number of pilgrims who have arrived from outside of the Kingdom up to Monday is 495,816," he said, adding some 480,000 of them arrived by air, 11,500 by land and the rest by sea. Pilgrims coming from outside Saudi Arabia must arrive by Feb. 17 at the latest.
The authorities have geared up preparations amid expectations that record numbers will perform Haj this year.
Saudi Arabian Airlines has started a major airlift of pilgrims. Director General Dr. Khaled Bakr said the carrier will transport 780,000 pilgrims from 57 destinations, a 15 percent increase over last year.
