MADINAH: The first batch of 282 Malaysian pilgrims for the 1445H/2024 haj season safely arrived in Madinah today.

The Malaysia Airlines flight MH8050, carrying 115 male and 167 female pilgrims, landed at the Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport at 4.10 am local time (Malaysia is five hours ahead of Saudi Arabia).

The pilgrims were then transported by bus to their accommodation zone at the Emaar Royal Hotel.

Upon arrival at the hotel at 6.30 am, they were welcomed by the Consul General of Malaysia in Jeddah, Roslan Sharif.

Also present were representatives from the Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) management, including deputy head of the Malaysian haj delegation (welfare) Mohamed Heikal Mohamed Yusuff and Madinah Operations director Ashrof Shamsuddin, along with TH personnel.