Eyes in the sky help to keep Hajj pilgrims safe

Arab News took to the skies with the Royal Saudi Air Force on Friday for a bird’s-eye view of pilgrims and the measures in place for their safety and security.
The 90-minute flight took place in one of the Air Force’s VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) jets piloted by Maj. Majed Salem Al-Ghamidi.
The Air Force has two tasks during Hajj, Al-Ghamidi said. The first is assisting Hajj Security Forces in carrying out the security plan designed for the comfort of pilgrims, and the second is close observation of the holy sites from the air.
Our flight on Friday began at 11 a.m. and we flew over Mina, Jamarat Bridge and Makkah, including the Masjid Al-Haram and the roads leading to it. We noted a smooth flow of pilgrims on all routes, even on Jamarat Bridge and in train stations, and only limited traffic at the bus stations.
Air Force Lt. Gen. Abduallah bin Mohammed Al-Zahrani, leader of the VTOL jet squadron participating in Hajj 2017, said the Air Force played a major role in monitoring the safety of pilgrims and working with other agencies in helping them. These included the Ministry of Interior represented by Hajj Security Forces, the Ministry of Hajj and Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs, who are supervising project development at the holy sites, along with the Saudi Red Crescent Authority (SRCA), the Ministry of Health and guests of the Ministry of Information.
Al-Zahrani said all the participating aircraft were taking off vertically, and pilots were working around the clock.