hajj rescue workers
Members of Saudi civil defense try to rescue pilgrims following a crush caused by large numbers of people pushing at Mina, outside the Muslim holy city of Mecca in this handout picture published on Twitter account of the Directorate of the Saudi Civil Defense Sept. 24, 2015 Reuters/Directorate of the Saudi Civil Defense/Handout via Reuters

The death toll in a crush outside the holy city of Mecca on Thursday has risen to 769, Saudi Health Minister Khalid al-Falih said on Saturday.

"The latest statistics up to this hour reveal 769 dead. That is an increase of 52 on the previous figures," Falih told a news conference. "Those are the ones who died in various hospitals since the event," he said, adding that 934 people were wounded.

(Reporting By Noah Browning; Editing by Dominic Evans)

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