Monday, June 8, 2026
ADVT 
National

Over 65 Killed As Crane Falls On Mecca's Grand Mosque

Darpan News Desk IANS, 11 Sep, 2015 10:38 AM
    Over 65 people were killed after a crane collapsed on to the Grand Mosque in the Saudi Arabia's holy city of Makkah, which is preparing for the Annual Haj.
     
    At least 65 people have been killed and at least 30 injured, reported the BBC, citing the Saudi civil defence authority.
     
     
     
     
    It was raining heavily at the time. Few other details are available. Images from the scene showed part of a huge red crane had crashed through the roof of the mosque.Mecca is preparing for the annual Muslim Hajj pilgrimage.
     
    Construction work has been going on at the Grand Mosque for years to make it big enough to cope with the huge numbers of people who come each year.
     
     
    The incident occurred as hundreds of thousands of Muslims gather from all over the world for the annual hajj pilgrimage set to begin later this month, and Saudi authorities go to great lengths to be prepared for the millions of Muslims who converge on Makkah.
     
    The Grand Mosque is usually at its most crowded on Fridays, the Muslim weekly day of prayer.
     
     
     
     
    Last year, the kingdom reduced the numbers permitted to perform haj for safety reasons because of construction work to enlarge the Grand Mosque.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Ontario Liberals Accuse Harper Of Abandoning Workers In The Province

    Ontario Liberals Accuse Harper Of Abandoning Workers In The Province
    TORONTO — Ontario's Liberals waded into the looming federal election Thursday, accusing Prime Minister Stephen Harper of abandoning workers in the province by refusing to co-operate on a new provincial pension plan.

    Ontario Liberals Accuse Harper Of Abandoning Workers In The Province

    Talk Budget To Me: Alberta Finance Minister Wants Ideas, Comments From Public

    Talk Budget To Me: Alberta Finance Minister Wants Ideas, Comments From Public
    EDMONTON — Alberta Finance Minister Joe Ceci is casting a wide net for input into the NDP government's first budget.

    Talk Budget To Me: Alberta Finance Minister Wants Ideas, Comments From Public

    Oilpatch Pain Persists As Cenovus To Cut 300 To 400 More Jobs This Year

    CALGARY — Cenovus Energy says 300 to 400 workers will be let go from its Calgary office by year end as hopes for a quick recovery in oil prices evaporate.

    Oilpatch Pain Persists As Cenovus To Cut 300 To 400 More Jobs This Year

    Cairo Court Postpones Verdict For Canadian Journalist Mohamed Fahmy

    Mohamed Fahmy's legal saga was drawn out further on Thursday as an Egyptian court abruptly postponed a much-anticipated verdict in his widely denounced terror trial.

    Cairo Court Postpones Verdict For Canadian Journalist Mohamed Fahmy

    Harper Government Hopes TPP Deal Is Signed Before Election Campaign Kickoff

    Harper Government Hopes TPP Deal Is Signed Before Election Campaign Kickoff
    OTTAWA — The Conservatives are anxiously hoping to sign off on a massive free-trade deal before kicking off an election campaign that's expected to start as early as Sunday.

    Harper Government Hopes TPP Deal Is Signed Before Election Campaign Kickoff

    Political Parties Prepare For Lengthy Election Campaign Ahead Of Oct. 19 Vote

    Political Parties Prepare For Lengthy Election Campaign Ahead Of Oct. 19 Vote
    OTTAWA — Canada's federal political parties are actively carving out their final plans for the Oct. 19 election campaign, which is expected to get underway this weekend.

    Political Parties Prepare For Lengthy Election Campaign Ahead Of Oct. 19 Vote