Saudi Arabia reviews construction safety after Grand Mosque crane collapse

“We will investigate all the reasons and afterwards declare the results to the citizens”, he said after visiting the site.

At least 230 people were injured in the incident on Friday.

It was reported that, aside from Indonesians, most of the casualties from the crane collapse were pilgrims from Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan, Egypt and Pakistan.

It said the crane collapsed when working on the expansion operations at the Grand Mosque, which aims to accommodate the ever-increasing number of pilgrims from all over the world.

Fifteen other Indians were among over 200 injured in the accident on Friday; Saudi Arabia blames stormy winds for deadly collapse, begins investigation.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday sent “his heartfelt condolences to the families, relations and friends of the Nigerian victims of the crane accident“, his office said in a statement. As of late Friday, it said those injured in the disaster numbered 184.

The head of Saudi’s civil defense authority, Suleiman al-Amr, said “high winds” during a storm caused the crash.

The Kaaba is the huge cube-shaped structure at the centre of the mosque towards which Muslims worldwide pray.

The governor of Mecca region, Prince Khaled al Faisal, ordered an investigation into the incident.

An Al Jazeera correspondent reported the crane smashed into the third floor of the mosque, which was full of visitors in advance of the 6:30 p.m. prayer.

Saudi Arabian authorities are in the process of inspecting the safety standards of construction sites and equipment near the Grand Mosque.

The crane was being used in the expansion work of the Grand Holy Mosque in Saudi Arabia when it struck a circular area and nearby walkway, he added.

The crane fell 10 days before the start of the Hajj, an annual pilgrimage expected to bring 2 million people to Mecca.

An unnamed Saudi official involved in organising the Haj was quoted by Al Arabiya as saying that the pilgrimage would go ahead as planned.

32 Iranian pilgrims were also wounded in the incident who are said to be in good health conditions.