Religious Leaders Confirm Islam's Mass Pilgrimage to Mecca will Go On Despite Crane Disaster

The horrific scene

A Saudi official has confirmed that the annual hajj to Mecca will go ahead, despite the horrific crane disaster that killed 107 people and wounded 238 in the city yesterday.

The tragedy occurred when a crane crashed through the ceiling of the Grand Mosque of Mecca, the largest mosque in the world, amid high winds and thunderstorms on Friday afternoon. The annual pilgrimage is one of the largest religious festivals in the world, and last year drew two million worshipers.

 An investigation has been launched today, to probe claims that the health and safety standards at the
mosque were insufficient. Some critics have claimed that the authorities were negligent in allowing a series of cranes to tower over the site, as hundreds of thousands of Muslims converge at the holy site for the annual hajj pilgrimage.

It has been confirmed today that this year's hajj will still go ahead despite the disaster, and is expected to begin on September 21.

One of the five pillars of Islam requires every able-bodied Muslim to perform the Hajj pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime. Muslim faithful from about 160 countries converge on the Islamic city and other locations in western Saudi Arabia to complete the holy journey.