After billions spent on haj safety, Saudis lost control of deadly crowd


  • World
  • Wednesday, 30 Sep 2015

Muslim pilgrims walks on a bridge as they head to cast stones at pillars symbolizing Satan during the annual haj pilgrimage in Mina, on the second day of Eid al-Adha, near the holy city of Mecca September 25, 2015. REUTERS/Ahmad Masood

DUBAI/RIYADH (Reuters) - Pilgrims reported feeling the hands of their relatives slip away into the crowd on Thursday morning when a crush at the Mina camp in Mecca killed at least 769 in the deadliest haj disaster in a generation.

Saudi Arabia has spent billions of dollars on making the world's biggest gathering of people safe. For nine years, there had been no major disasters at the haj, a much lauded success after a period from 1990-2006 when crowd crushes and fires that killed hundreds of people took place every 2-3 years.

Limited time offer:
Just RM5 per month.

Monthly Plan

RM13.90/month
RM5/month

Billed as RM5/month for the 1st 6 months then RM13.90 thereafters.

Annual Plan

RM12.33/month

Billed as RM148.00/year

1 month

Free Trial

For new subscribers only


Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.
Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
   

Next In World

TikTok risks fines as EU issues ultimatum over app launch
TikTok’s crackdown on Ozempic influencers threatens weight-loss drug hype machine
Russia's Belgorod region says 120 civilians killed by Ukraine strikes since 2022
At least five migrants die in attempt to cross English Channel
Tesla layoffs draw suit claiming not enough warning for workers
Truce crumbles in Sudanese army's last Darfur holdout
Report urges fixes to online child exploitation CyberTipline before AI makes it worse
Indonesia's biggest party confirms President Jokowi no longer a member after backing Prabowo
South Korea, Romania pledge defence cooperation amid reports of contract in works
Ukraine launches military charm offensive as conscription flags

Others Also Read