Group of Uzbek Pilgrims in Difficult Situation in Saudi Arabia Returned Home

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Uzbek citizens who traveled to Saudi Arabia for Umrah and found themselves in a difficult situation have been safely returned home with the assistance of the country’s General Consulate, Dunyo news agency reported.

According to the consulate, citizen D.I. sought help because a group of 50 pilgrims, who had arrived through a travel agency, were left without return flight tickets from Mecca. The pilgrims, including elderly individuals and women, expressed concern over the absence of a flight and requested assistance to ensure a timely return to Uzbekistan.

Originally, according to their tickets, the pilgrims were supposed to complete Umrah and depart on a Centrum Air flight from Jeddah to Tashkent. The travel agency did not provide an explanation for the delay, only stating that the return would be possible in the coming days.

Consulate representatives engaged in negotiations with the responsible staff of the agency, discussing measures to ensure the safe and timely return of the pilgrims. The agency reported that the issue arose due to unforeseen difficulties with its partners handling the tickets.

The consulate took control of the situation and advised the agency to provide the pilgrims with hotel accommodations and arrange new flight tickets.

As a result of these negotiations, the travel company purchased new tickets, and the group of pilgrims returned home on a Fly Khiva flight from Medina to Tashkent.