Maldivian pilgrims who travelled to Saudi Arabia for this year's Hajj pilgrimage will begin returning on Friday, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and Endowments has announced.

Pilgrims travelled to Saudi Arabia on flights operated by Maldivian and Saudi Airlines and are scheduled to return on four separate flights between June 5 and June 9.

The first group is scheduled to arrive on Friday on a Saudi Airlines flight departing Madinah at 03:15 a.m. and arriving in Malé at 02:00 p.m. The second group will arrive on Sunday on a Maldivian flight departing Madinah at 09:40 a.m. and landing in Malé at 05:40 p.m.

A third group will return on Monday aboard a Saudi Airlines flight departing Madinah at 03:15 a.m. and arriving in Malé at 02:00 p.m. The final group is scheduled to arrive on Tuesday on a Maldivian flight departing Madinah at 04:00 p.m. and landing in Malé at 12:01 a.m.

This year's pilgrims departed from the Maldives after completing Saudi immigration procedures in Malé under the Makkah Route Initiative, which allows pilgrims to complete immigration formalities before departure and facilitates a smoother arrival process in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia included the Maldives in the Makkah Route Initiative during the 1446 Hajj season. The programme is generally extended to countries that send large numbers of pilgrims for Hajj and is intended to streamline travel procedures for pilgrims.