Saudi Arabia is to open an investigation into the causes of the crane collapse at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, which killed at least 107 people and left hundreds injured.
Last Friday’s deadly incident has put a spotlight on construction health and safety standards in the Kingdom, experts say. Some officials have said that bad weather conditions were to blame for the crane collapse.
Saudi Arabia‘s King Salman visited the Grand Mosque on Saturday, where he promised to open a public investigation, the Saudi state news agency SPA reported.
“My visit today is to check what had happened and know how we can re-habilitate the site again. We will open investigation into the causes of the accident and then announce the results to the public,” the monarch said.
At least 230 people are said to have been injured in the crane collapse. They included Iranian, Turkish, Afghan, Egyptian and Pakistani nationals, SPA said.
Irfan Al-Alawi, from the Islamic Heritage Research Foundation, said the incident highlights construction safety standards in the kingdom.
“Saudi Arabia has to re-think its health and safety strategy… there were 800,000 people in the mosque area at the time of the accident,” he told the BBC. “The entire area is like a salvage yard.”
The annual hajj pilgrimage is due to take place later this month, with millions of Muslims from around the world coming to Mecca, which is home to the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest site. Officials have said hajj will go ahead this year despite the crane collapse tragedy.
Last year, Saudi Arabian authorities reduced the number of pilgrims allowed to perform hajj amid ongoing construction work taking place to enlarge the Grand Mosque.