Indonesians killed in Mecca Grand Mosque crane tragedy

A report on the incident will be submitted to him this Friday, 18 September, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

The incident occurred as Muslims gather from all over the world for the annual hajj pilgrimage set to begin in Mecca later this month.

King Salman visited the site late on Saturday, and then met survivors of the accident in hospital. The Mecca project contractor has been told to ensure safety of all the other cranes at the site, it was reported.

However, it is now being reported by Saudi media that at least 87 people have been martyred in the wake of incident and 183 injured.

Jeddah/New Delhi Two Indians, both from Kerala, were killed and 15 were among the injured when a massive construction crane crashed into Mecca’s Grand Mosque leaving over a hundred people dead, the External Affairs Ministry said on Saturday.

At the time of the accident, the mosque – which is now undergoing a massive expansion – was packed with Muslim worshippers performing the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

Parts of the Grand Mosque, one of Islam’s holiest sites, remained sealed around the remains of the red and white crane, accentuating the crush of humanity inside.

The director general of civil defense, Suleiman bin Abs dullah al-Amro, told broad caster Al-Arabiya that the unusually powerful winds that toppled the crane also tore down trees and signs. The wreckage of the crane was seen lying across the floor of the mosque.

Authorities said Friday that the crane had crashed in a courtyard outside the mosque due to a severe rainstorm.

He further added “The number of deaths may increase while as many as 238 people are said to be injured in the accident who were found to be with lightly wounds later”.

A committee decreed by the Emir of Makkah, Prince Khaled Al Faisal, is examining the cause of the deadly collapse.

The mosque, the largest in the world, has been under construction since past year in order to expand its current capacity and accommodate a total of 2.2 million people.