New tally shows at least 1,621 killed in Saudi haj tragedy

Thousands of mourners attend a funeral ceremony for some of the pilgrims who were killed in a stampede during the hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia last month, in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2015.

A new tally shows at least 1,621 pilgrims were killed in l >ast month’s crush and stampede during the haj in Saudi Arabia.

The count on Wednesday is based on totals provided by officials and state media in 19 of the over 180 countries that sent pilgrims.

This is more than double the Saudi Arabia’s official tally of 769 killed and 934 injured in the September 24 disaster in Mina, a few miles from the holy city of Mecca.

Saudi officials previously have said their tally remains accurate, although an investigation into the causes of the tragedy is ongoing. They have not updated their casualty toll since then.

The previous > deadliest-ever incident at the haj happened in 1990, when a stampede killed 1,426 people.