Accra, Dec. 17, GNA - One thousand nine hundred ninety-six hajj pilgrims have been flown out since the Government intervened and got Saudi Arabian Authorities to give Ghanaians a special dispensation after the Jeddah Airport was closed on Friday. The pilgrims were flown out in five batches beginning on Saturday morning.

The first flight picked 295 pilgrims, while 337 pilgrims were on board the second.

Five hundred and twenty-nine Hajj pilgrims, forming the third batch, left Accra at 1450 hours on Sunday for Jeddah aboard a Boeing 747 aircraft that came from Saudi Arabia.

The fourth and fifth batches made up of 295 and 540 pilgrims, respectively left on Sunday night.

President John Agyekum Kufuor had to intervene to get the Saudi Arabians to receive the Ghanaian pilgrims after the Jeddah Airport was closed on Friday December 14, 2007.

Mr Andrew Awuni, Press Secretary to the President, said the Government had successfully secured an extension for Ghanaian pilgrims to arrive in Saudi Arabia on December 17, 2007, adding that it had also finalised arrangements for two planes to fly to Ghana to pick the pilgrims.

The Government on Thursday announced it was stepping in to get stranded Ghanaian pilgrims airlifted to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj, one of the most important pillars of Islam. Mr Awuni said President Kufuor had ordered an investigation to unravel the cause of the unfortunate situation that led to the pilgrims becoming stranded in Accra. Poor organisation of the Hajj has become an annual ritual in the country. 17 Dec. 07