At least 19 die during Hajj pilgrimage

At least 19 persons were reported to have died amid the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, one of the biggest religious gatherings in the world.

According to a report on "24 Oras," the foreign ministry of Jordan reported that 14 Jordanian pilgrims succumbed to sunstroke due to the intense heat.

Seventeen persons were reported missing.

In a separate statement, the chief of the Iranian Red Crescent said five Iranians died in Mecca and Medina during the Hajj. There was no information as regards the cause.

Saudi Arabia has yet to issue a statement on the incident.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega said no Filipino had been reported killed in the Hajj. —NB, GMA Integrated News