Hajj tragedy: Nigerian pilgrim dies in elevator pit, death toll now 7
Muslim pilgrims perform the final walk (Tawaf al-Wadaa) around the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in the Saudi holy city of Mecca on November 30, 2009. The annual Muslim hajj pilgrimage to Mecca wound up without the feared mass outbreak of swine flu, Saudi authorities said, reporting a total of five deaths and 73 proven cases. AFP PHOTO/MAHMUD HAMS (Photo credit should read MAHMUD HAMS/AFP/Getty Images)
A pilgrim from Niger State was on Wednesday feared dead in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, after mistakenly falling into the pit of an elevator under repair.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the deceased stepped on the system without knowing it was under repair and immediately sunk inside the pit.
Rescue workers were immediately mobilized to the site by the National Medical Team of NAHCON.
According to the Medical team Leader, Dr Ibrahim Kana, “following the tragedy that occurred this morning, men of the National Medical Team were there for the rescue”.
He said the CCTV footage of the incident was being reviewed to get full details.
This brings to seven, the number of Nigerian pilgrims that have died since the arrival of the first batch on July. 21.(NAN)