Mohamed Naseem Ali, a 72-year-old from Maakurathu Island, Raa Atoll, who went missing during the Hajj pilgrimage, has been found dead near Jabal al-Nour mountain, the Islamic Ministry confirmed on Friday.

The Ministry said it received the distressing news of Naseem’s demise around 2 a.m. last night. Senior Executive Director at the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Murshid Abdul Hakeem, stated that Naseem’s lifeless body was found late last night in the vicinity of Al-Nour Mountain, located far from his designated tent. Efforts were immediately made to transport him to a nearby hospital, but despite swift action, he was declared dead on arrival.

The exact circumstances surrounding Naseem’s death remain unclear.

According to Naseem’s family, they became aware of his disappearance when he failed to board the bus to Arafat after spending the night in Mina on Monday. The family revealed that Naseem, who was grappling with mental health issues, relied on medication for his condition and did not possess a cell phone.

Naseem, who embarked on the Hajj pilgrimage through Al Haramain Hajj & Umrah Company, went missing after leaving his tent in Mina on Monday evening, just prior to heading to Arafat. The Maldives Hajj Mission, Maldives Embassy in Saudi Arabia, Al Haramain Hajj and Umrah Company, and the Saudi authorities collaborated in the efforts to locate Naseem.