Posted on 09/24/2015 9:49:55 AM PDT by LonePalm
Subtitle: At least 717 pilgrims killed and 863 injured in crush at Mina outside Mecca, Saudi's civil defence reports.
At least 717 people have been killed in a stampede at the annual Hajj pilgrimage, Saudi Arabia's civil defence directorate said, as the death toll continued to rise.
The directorate said at least 863 other pilgrims were injured in Thursday's stampede, which took place in Mina, on the outskirts of the holy city of Mecca.
The injured have been evacuated to four different hospitals in the Mina region, according to a civil defence spokesman.
Saudi Arabia's crown prince, Prince Mohamed bin Nayef, ordered a probe into how the tragedy had occured.
Nayef, who chairs the Saudi hajj committee, ordered the probe during a meeting with senior officials responsible for the pilgrimage in Mina, where the stampede took place.
The findings of the investigation will be submitted to King Salman, "who will take appropriate measures" in response, the Saudi Press agency said.
Mina is where pilgrims carry out a symbolic stoning of the devil by throwing pebbles against three stone walls. It also houses more than 160,000 tents where pilgrims spend the night during the pilgrimage.
Al Jazeera's Basma Atassi, reporting from Mina, said the incident took place in a street between pilgrim camps.
"The street where it happened is named Street 204. This stampede did not happen at the site of the 'stoning of the devil' ritual, which was happening today.
"During and after the stampede the pilgrims continued to flock into Mina to perform the devil stoning ritual."
Amateur video shared on social media showed a horrific scene, with scores of bodies - the men dressed in the simple terry cloth garments worn during Hajj - lying alongside crushed wheelchairs and water bottles.
The head of the Central Hajj Committee, Prince Khaled al-Faisal, blamed the stampede on "some pilgrims from African nationalities," Saudi-owned al-Arabiya TV channel reported.
Iranian authorities have said that at least 43 Iranian nationals were killed in the stampede.
Survivors assessed the scene by standing on the top of roadside stalls as rescue workers in orange and yellow vests combed the area.
About 4,000 people from the rescue services were participating in the operation to help the injured and about 220 ambulances were directed to the scene, a civil defence spokesman said.
Photos released by the defence directorate on its official Twitter account showed rescue workers helping the wounded onto stretchers and loading them onto ambulances near some of the tents.
Al Jazeera's Omar al-Saleh, reporting from Mecca, said the number of deaths could rise.
"This is only the initial number ... The Hajj season was already overshadowed by the crane accident that killed 107 people and wounded more than 200," Alsaleh said, adding: "The area has turned to a big massive construction site to allow more pilgrims to visit Mecca during Hajj.
"Mina has more than 160,000 tents divided over several camps, and with the 1.9 million people taking part in this year's Hajj, you will understand the logistical nightmare that the Saudi authorities are facing.
"I've seen some footage and it's really sad. I've seen piles of bodies on top of each other."
Deadly Hajj incidents
Saudi authorities take extensive precautions to ensure the security of the Hajj and the safety of pilgrims. But tragedies are not uncommon.
In 2006, more than 360 pilgrims were killed in a stampede, also in Mina.
The day before the 2006 Hajj began, an eight-story building being used as a hostel near the Grand Mosque in Mecca collapsed, killing at least 73 people.
Two years earlier, a crush at Mina killed 244 and injured hundreds on the final day of the pilgrimage.
And, in 2001, a stampede at Mina killed 35 people.
The worst hajj-related tragedy, which happened in 1990, killed 1,426 pilgrims in a stampede in an overcrowded pedestrian tunnel leading to holy sites in Mecca.
Life is cheap among the followers of allah..
Exactly.
Report claims Prince Salman was accompanied by a huge entourage, including 200 army and 150 police officers, which prompted officials to change the movement of pilgrims.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/963156/saudi-princes-convoy-triggered-hajj-stampede-report/
Religion of incompetence?
The story I heard, was that the buses were late picking up the African pilgrims and after an hour or 2 of waiting, they decided to start walking. When they got to a narrowed congested area, they were met in the opposite direction by pilgrims leaving and there wasn’t enough room for people to travel in both directions and that’s when the chaos began
You would think after ALL these years and past stampedes that they’d have this down to science by now.
Apparently they’re on a very slow learning curve.
I found several unusually thoughtful ideas in the comments at this site regarding accident prevention at all mass crowd events: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/09/saudi-arabian-hajj-stampede-death-toll-rises-150926130030311.html
There is also lively and even vitriolic competitive comments here. Also as an Al Jazeera site, consider cross comment by Muslims and non-Muslims.
MUHAMMED KAHN
By the grace of Allah (SWT) I performed Hajj in 2006 when same type of incident happened causing death of nearly 400 and injured 700 , most of the injured had permanent disability. As an witness of 2006 catastrophe I want to share my experience as follows.
After finishing the rituals at Arafat and Muzdalefa we planned to start stoning at the biggest Zamarat at about 8.00 AM . When our team reached the place close to the starting point we were stopped due to the fact that a group of dignitaries from some Muslim countries as royal guest of KSA were stoning and a barricade was created by Saudi police. I observed from the distance that STOP sign with different language including Bangla was flushing. After about three hours , when a huge crowed of Hajjis gathered , the barricade was withdrawn and suddenly a big crowd jumped into towards” One pathway” ignoring the Stop sign ( Subsequently it was increased to 3/4 levels pathways ) to perform the ritual and within few minutes hundreds of people were stampeded and injured. Even in my team some Hajjis was so enthusiastic and emotional to start running but by the will of Allah, with my intervention they were finally stopped. After further few hours when the bodies of deceased and injured were removed we finished stoning and went to Mecca for Towaf e Ziarat safely.
Now I find a relationship between these two catastrophes that “ halting the flow of Hajjis for any reason ( as happened during 2006) created panic among them due to the time constraint of finishing stoning and going to Mekka for Tawaf within stipulated time was a great factor causing these two saddest incident. Whatever comes out of the investigation , as a normal Muslim, it is my humble suggestion that if the Hajj authority can not avoid stoning at Zamarat separately by the so called high profile dignitaries , ( though , I am not sure permissibility of such in Islam ) they can make an alternate Entry and Exit for them either by constructing Rope way/Gondola or a hanging Helipad , so that those people can perform the ritual without closing any Entry or Exit point to the Zamarat. Even a separate level designated to those type of Hajjis, on safety reason, may be created.
In addition a awareness training has to be made effective at all levels involving the Hajj pilgrims so that this Fard ritual is performed in safe and logical way to ensure acceptance of Allah (SWT). May Allah bestow His profound mercy to the deceased , the injured and consolation to the members who lost their nearest and dearest one. Ameen.
JOE SOPRANO to Muhammed,
if I summarize your point, you associate the risk of stampedes with two main factors:
1) privilege given to dignitaries to execute the stoning before the others;
2) strong excitement and a general lack of discipline or self-control of the pilgrims.
However substantial these points are (and precious, since they come from your direct experience of the Hajj), we are forced to acknowledge that both are quite difficult and sensitive to handle:
1) would require to change UAE into a liberal democracy with no political and social privilege and with a global equality of people, included in the religious domain;
2) would require a global improvement of education standards in the Muslim world.
The first point should involve a political reformism or a factual revolution in the Saudi kingdom.
The second point would imply higher rates of access to education in Muslim world, which could not go without the spread of gender policies and a global improvement of women social conditions in the same countries.
Both are real needs; both are unfortunately not ready to occur within a short space of time.
But let’s hope that progresses will move on, while gradual political and social improvements will follow.
CHRIS LEWIS (starting with 2nd paragraph)
Your first point - special casing for dignitaries is fairly simple to fix. The organizers set up their plan for the day, visually check that all the barricades/signs/routing are in place each day, and don’t change them for any reason whatsoever. If a dignitary wants to participate, they must either be in the same crowd as every one else, be able to access/egress without interfering with the crowd in ANY way, OR, you book it well ahead of time and integrate it with the daily plan. There simply is NO WAY you can change plans mid-stream with that many people. Doesn’t matter whether it’s a stoning ritual in Mecca, or letting people into a stadium to watch a soccer match. You just do NOT change plans once they’re running. If you do, people die. Full stop. Doesn’t matter what religion or what government they have.
Your second point misses the point entirely. This has nothing whatsoever to do with Muslims. It’s the same “enthusiasm” you see in a lineup for the first showing of a new Star Wars movie, a black friday sale, or a new iPhone launch. The only reason why they don’t turn into huge disasters is because the number of people is hundreds or thousands of times less. These don’t just happen in Muslim countries. They happen in the US, in England, Singapore, India etc. During the coronation of Czar Nicholas II, 1400 people died in the crush of gifts being given out. During new years fireworks in Singapore, 250 people died. During a soccer game in Hillsborough England, almost 100 people died. Each a result of poor planning, plans that weren’t verified, or plans that were changed mid-steam. Hillsborough happened because the crowd was directed through an access tunnel, and the access tunnel gate at the far end was closed and they didn’t get it open in time.
My thoughts: We have just seen huge crowds greeting the Pope in an atmosphere love and caring for one another—no significant crowd incidents. On the other hand, examples are given of significant numbers of deaths at the stoning of Satan (significant pent up anger), sports events (anger), and a coronation with gifts distributed (poverty and greed)—negative emotions set stage for significant death toll. More love and understanding needed worldwide.
The best way to prevent the hundreds of deaths that occur pretty much every year during the Hajj is to rid the world of Islam. Until that time, hundreds of accidental deaths among its pilgrims doesn't sound like a problem to me.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.