Innalillahi, Hajj Candidate From South Kalimantan Dies On Plane Before Transit In Medan

Garuda Indonesia aircraft transporting Pilgrims from Banjarmasin Embarkation Group 1 at Syamsuddin Noor International Airport Banjarmasin (Antara/Humas, Ministry of Religion, South Kalimantan)

JAKARTA - One pilgrim candidate for Hajj Embarkation Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan flying group (kloter) 01 died on a flight to Medina, Saudi Arabia.

Batch 01 Banjarmasin Embarkation was flown on Sunday, June 12 at around 23.40 WITA from Syamsuddin Noor International Airport in Banjarmasin with a total of 357 pilgrims, including hajj officers.

"It's true, the sad news is that one pilgrim candidate for the South Kalimantan batch 01 has died," said Head of the Regional Office of the Ministry of Religion of South Kalimantan Muhammad Tambrin in Banjarmasin, Monday, June 13.

According to him, the pilgrim candidate who died was from Balangan Regency on behalf of Samsinah bint Usman Hasbulah (50). Died Monday around 00.30 WIB on a flight before transiting at Medan Airport, North Sumatra.

"We express our gratitude to Garuda and Angkasa Pura for repatriating the bodies of the prospective hajj candidates to the area of origin of the deceased," he said, quoted from Antara.

Tambrin said that the deceased hajj candidate had intended to perform hajj, dying on the way had become the value of hajj. "Hopefully he gets the reward for the pilgrimage," he said.

According to him, the first batch of pilgrims will continue their flights to Prince Muhammad bin Abdul Aziz International Airport or Medina Airport, Saudi Arabia.

"It is scheduled to land in South Kalimantan 01 at around 03.10 WAS (Saudi Arabia Time)," he said.

Banjarmasin Embarkation, South Kalimantan will fly seven batches, namely five from South Kalimantan with a hajj quota of 1,743 people.

Meanwhile, two other groups from Central Kalimantan (Kalteng) with a hajj quota of 739 people.