Saudi Arabia: Crane Crashes Into Mecca’s Grand Mosque, Kills 87
At least 87 people have been killed after a crane crashed into Mecca’s Grand Mosque on Friday, Reuters reported.
Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defense authority said another 184 people were injured.
Al Arabiya TV reported the crane fell from a strong sandstorm that has hit Saudi Arabia in the past few days. Photos showed pilgrims wearing bloodied robes and the crane that seemed to have crashed into the ceiling.
Saudi forces have heightened security in efforts to prepare for the annual Hajj pilgrimage in September. But the kingdom has continued to spend a vast amount of money reconstructing Mecca as a tourist destination.
Last year the kingdom reduced the number of allowed pilgrimages for safety as the Grand Mosque underwent construction, according to Reuters.
