Tamale: Departure of the first Ghanaian hajj flight to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Friday, May 1, 2026 has brought mixed feelings to some relatives of the pilgrims.

From behind the wire fence of the Tamale Airport, while many were captured waving and jubilating at the flight in motion, others were spotted weeping as they bid farewell to their loved ones embarking on the month-long journey.

The inaugural flight took off at exactly 11:18 a.m., officially marking the commencement of this year’s Hajj airlift operations.

“A total of 430 prospective pilgrims, all from Bawku in the Upper East Region, were on board,” the Pilgrims’ Affairs Office of Ghana said in a statement.

They are expected to arrive in Madinah on Friday evening.

At an inaugural ceremony held earlier, Alhaji Abdul Rauf Tanko, Chairman of the Ghana Hajj Board, disclosed that some 6,730 Ghanaian pilgrims will be embarking on the journey during the coming weeks.

He urged pilgrims to abide by all protocol to ensure their safety and ease during the Hajj period.

Ali Adolf John, the Northern Regional minister, commended the leadership of the Hajj board for their commitment to the Hajj cause.

He called on pilgrims to put up their best conduct as ambassadors of the country on the world stage.