Saudi authorities said on Saturday the annual haj pilgrimage would continue despite a crane collapse that killed 107 people at Mecca’s Grand Mosque, where crowds returned to pray a day after the disaster.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs said that there were two Indian women among the 107 people killed in the collapse. Around 15 Indian nationals were injured and were being treated in hospitals, said a statement posted on Twitter.
Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims have already arrived in Mecca for the haj, one of the world’s largest religious gatherings which last year drew two million worshippers.
Parts of the Grand Mosque, one of Islam’s holiest sites, remained sealed off Saturday around the remains of the red and white crane, accentuating the crush of humanity inside. Worshippers thronged the mosque as the midday call to prayer sounded, said sources.
Indonesians and Indians were among those killed when the crane collapsed during a storm on what is the main weekly prayer day for Muslims. Around 200 others were injured.
A Saudi official said this year’s haj, expected to start on September 21, would proceed despite the tragedy.
“It definitely will not affect the haj this season and the affected part will probably be fixed in a few days,” said the official, who declined to be named.