Hundreds die in Hajj stampede

24 September 2015

Panic among pilgrims leads to fatal crush

  • Stampede during Hajj ritual kills 717 pilgrims in Mecca
  • 863 others injured during crush on Jamarat bridge
  • Emergency investigation announced by Crown Prince

At least 717 people have been killed and 863 others injured in a crush among Hajj pilgrims in the Mina area of Mecca.

Saudi Arabia’s civil defence directorate said a stampede occurred at around 09:00 on 24 September as an estimated two million pilgrims were taking part in the Hajj’s last major rite.

During the ritual, Hajj pilgrims travel to Mina, about 5 kilometres from Mecca, to throw stones at pillars called Jamarat, which represent the devil.

The pillars stand where Satan is believed to have tempted the Prophet Abraham.

Investigation launched

Interior Ministry officials said the stampede occurred as pilgrims were walking towards the five-storey structure which surrounds the pillars, known as the Jamarat Bridge.

The crush occurred when two large groups of pilgrims converged from different directions on to one street, they said.

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, who headed an emergency meeting after the stampede, has ordered an investigation.

Health minister, Khaled al-Falih, said the crush occurred because many pilgrims moved “without respecting the timetables” established by authorities.

Mecca investment

It is the deadliest incident to occur during the pilgrimage in 25 years, after 1,425 pilgrims were crushed to death in 1990 in tunnels leading to holy sites.

Riyadh has steered heavy investment into Mecca’s infrastructure over the past decade in order to improve safety during the pilgrimage.

There are $31bn-worth of projects either planned or under way in the wider province of Mecca, according to regional projects tracker MEED Projects.

Crane collapse

The run-up to this year’s Hajj was clouded when a crane collapsed at Mecca’s Grand Mosque in early September, killing 109 people.

The crane fell onto the holy site after strong storms with high winds. Contractors working in Mecca say the storm has damaged several other cranes in the city.

The local Saudi Binladin Group has since been barred from any new projects in Saudi Arabia until an investigation into the incident is complete.

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