Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed has confirmed that all Maldivian pilgrims currently in Saudi Arabia for their Umrah pilgrimage are generally well.
Over 7,000 Maldivian pilgrims have traveled to Saudi Arabia on their voluntary pilgrimage during December and January thus far.
Minister Dr Shaheem said a pilgrim who fell ill during the pilgrimage and was admitted to hospital will be brought back to the Maldives on 10 January, with support from the national airline Maldivian and the main government hospital, Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH).
The first group of pilgrims traveling in the December-January period departed from Maldives on 21 December 2025, with 262 pilgrims. The last group is scheduled to depart on 9 January 2026 with 298 pilgrims.