Saudi Arabia: 87 Killed After Crane Collapses On Grand Mosque In Mecca

In this Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2015 photo, Muslim pilgrims circumambulate around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Thousands of Muslims from all over the w... In this Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2015 photo, Muslim pilgrims circumambulate around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Thousands of Muslims from all over the world have arrived in Saudi Arabia for the annual hajj, or pilgrimage, to Mecca. Every Muslim is required to perform the hajj, or pilgrimage, to Mecca at least once in his or her lifetime if able to do so. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

UPDATE: Sept. 11, 2015, 2:56 PM ET

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi Arabia’s civil defense authority has raised the death toll from the collapse of a construction crane at Mecca’s Grand Mosque, saying at least 87 people have been killed.

The authority announced the latest casualties’ figure from Friday’s accident on its official Twitter account.

The accident happened as pilgrims are streaming into Islam’s holiest city for the annual hajj pilgrimage later this month.

Videos and photos posted by social media users showed a grisly scene, with police and onlookers attending to bloodied bodies on the polished mosque floors.

___

Schreck reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Latest World News

Notable Replies

  1. I have a feeling that the persons responsible for the collapse are facing more than mere civil damages liability.

  2. Avatar for dnl dnl says:

    …and the FauXians are screamin’ GawdSwill! GawdSwill. They deserved it!

  3. Pretty sure this was a sign from the Christian’s god.

  4. My condolences to the families of the dead.

    It is time that the mosques at Mecca and Medina be converted to a principality much like the Vatican. The Saudi rulers support a toxic, virulent, vile and violent form of wahabbi islam. The mosques ought to be run by a representative group that represents all branches of islam, sunni, shia, ahmadiyya, khwarij as well as the sufi, druze and nation of islam traditions. The principality should represent the interests of men and women, rich and poor and the sects that espouse women’s rights, peace, non-violence and tolerance.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

1 more reply

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for lestatdelc Avatar for ncsteve Avatar for horrido Avatar for serendipitoussomnambulist Avatar for dnl

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: