(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-12-31 20:50

JAKARTA - The Indonesian government announced Monday that 312 pilgrims had died when performing the month-long Islamic religious journey to the holy cities in Saudi Arabia which already entered the final stage.

Elderly people made up of the majority of the casualties among Indonesian pilgrims.

The Ministry for Religious Affairs also said 33 pilgrims are being treated at hospitals in Mecca, Medina and Jeddah.

More than 41,000 Indonesian pilgrims have arrived home after completing the annual pilgrimage that started late last month, the ministry said in a statement.

Indonesia, the world's most populous nation, sends 194,238 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia under the government's arrangement this year, but the number could be higher as many pilgrims arranged the journey themselves.