RI's hajj pilgrims lose nearly Rp350 mln in fire incident

Mecca, NU Online
The financial losses suffered by 47 Indonesian hajj pilgrims after their bus caught fire here on Monday have reached a total of Rp 348,832,170, according to a hajj affairs official.<>

"We will claim the damages from the Saudi bus operator," said Arsyad Hidayat, the Head of Mecca regional office of the Indonesian hajj affairs, here on Wednesday (10/10).

He stated that he had previously met with the Saudi Arabian bus operator in order to discuss arrangements for the transportation of hajj pilgrims to Mina and Arafah during the peak season this year.

However, all the passengers of the bus survived, Arsyad added.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's Arafah-Miana transportation affairs director, Sadi Samir Sahfar, issued an apology relating to the Monday afternoon incident, in which a bus carrying 47 Indonesian hajj pilgrims caught fire while it was on its way from Medina to Mecca.

"Personnel of the bus operating company and insurance have been investigating the fire incident," he said as quoted by Antara news agency.

According to Samir, the passengers will receive financial compensation soon after the completion of the investigation.

The handbags and suitcases of the passengers aboard the ill-fated bus, named "Hafil", got burnt in the accident.

The 47 Indonesian hajj pilgrims had left for Saudi Arabia from the Ujung Pandang airport in South Sulawesi province.

Ramlah, one of passengers of the bus, claimed to have lost 7,000 Saudi riyal (Rp15 million) in the incident.

Editor : Sudarto Murtaufiq