MAKKAH: Eighty-seven people died and 201 were injured when a crane collapsed inside the Grand Mosque in Makkah amid strong winds and heavy rains on Friday evening.
The crane, being used for ongoing expansion work, fell while heavy storms were lashing the city, said eyewitnesses. Lightning struck the crane before it collapsed, one of the eyewitnesses said.
Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal ordered an immediate inquiry into the disaster. He reached the accident site soon after the tragedy occurred.
He urged authorities to provide the best treatment to the injured. Accordingly, a committee has been set up to investigate the tragedy.
The nationalities of the dead are yet to be ascertained.
Pakistan has confirmed that 14 of its nationals were injured in the crane crash.
Consul General Aftab Ahmed Khokher said: “We have confirmation of 14 injuries from among our nationals.”
He told Arab News that nine of the injured are being treated in one hospital and five in another.
He said his team is in Makkah and on the job. “They are visiting various hospitals to find out more details about Pakistani pilgrims,” he said.
The Bangladesh Consulate in Jeddah told Arab News that 25 Bangladeshis were injured. A senior diplomat from the mission said the consulate does not know whether the injured are pilgrims or workers. “Since it was a worksite, possibly the majority of them may have been construction workers.”
Mohammed Niyaz, an official from the Sri Lankan mission who deals with the island’s pilgrims, said no Sri Lankan pilgrim casualties were reported.
Indian Consul General B.S. Mubarak confirmed that nine Indians were among the injured.
“We have no reports of any fatalities among Indians at the moment,” he told Arab News from Makkah.
He said the Saudi authorities quickly took control of the situation.
“They closed some entry points into the Grand Mosque, but many gates remained open,” he said. “I prayed Isha at the Grand Mosque and everything was normal.”
Mubarak, who has been camping in Makkah to look after Indian pilgrims for the past week, said pilgrims inside the mosque were busy in prayers. “There is no panic at all,” he said. He said a crane came crashing down just before Maghreb. “Part of it fell into the mataf area,” he said. “When I went in there were shards of glass and pieces of concrete in one particular area.”
Mohammed Wakeel, a pilgrim from Parbhani, India, said the weather was very bad before Maghreb. “The winds were blowing at a ferocious speed and it felt like a cyclone was on the way. Minutes later, the clouds opened. There was heavy rain. It was frightening and then the streets of Makkah were filled with rainwater,” he told Arab News from Makkah. “It all happened in a matter of minutes.”
Malaysian media reported that six Malaysians were among the injured.
A Malaysian diplomat in Jeddah, however, told Arab News that there was no official confirmation about injured Malaysians.
Sheikh Abdul Raheem, who was in Makkah at the time of the incident, said he and his colleagues had just finished their Asr prayers when the incident happened.
“There was a huge sandstorm followed by thunder, lightning and then heavy downpour.
“We went inside the new Haram, and suddenly lightning struck one of the cranes. It crashed with all the steel and hit one of the pillars of the new haram and fell into the mataf,” he said, recalling with horror how debris fell only a few meters from them. “We saw people dying before our eyes in the mataf area.”
Iqbal Hossain, who had gone to Makkah from Riyadh to see his parents who came from Dhaka, told Arab News: “I was outside the mosque … and I heard a loud sound.” Then he heard the sirens of the ambulances and Civil Defense vehicles, he said, adding that rescue teams immediately arrived on the scene and rushed the injured to the nearest hospitals. A video clip taken at the time of the tragedy showed pilgrims shouting Allah-o-Akbar (There is no God but Allah!)
The Civil Defense deployed more than 15 teams in addition to officials from the Saudi Red Crescent Authority and their vehicles.
Pakistan Ambassador Manzoor Ul Haq said that he was deeply saddened. “We pray for all those who died in the incident and wish those injured a speedy recovery,” the envoy said, adding that all affected were Muslims and everyone has to sympathize with them.
In view of the anticipated rains, citizens and visitors to Makkah were earlier advised to stay away from streams and pools of water.
Brig. Ahmed Duluubi, chief of Civil Defense in Makkah, said his agency had made all preparatory arrangements for any emergencies based on the weather reports issued by the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment.
The Presidency of Meteorology and Environment predicted on Friday heavy rainfall, continuous thunderstorms accompanied by rising dust and dusty winds which were likely to limit visibility in areas such as Asir, Jazan, Al-Baha, Makkah and Madinah, while the sky was partly cloudy with a chance of rain in Hail, Qassim, Al-Jouf and Tabuk.
Last year, floods caused by torrential rain swept through parts of Makkah and Hail killing two people and injuring several others. The inclement weather also caused power cuts and damaged hundreds of cars across Makkah neighborhoods.
Scores crushed to death in Haram crane disaster
Scores crushed to death in Haram crane disaster
Philippine ship, Chinese vessel collide in South China Sea: Beijing
- China's coast guard says “Philippine replenishment ship ignored many solemn warnings from the Chinese side”
- China has been trying to force a Philippine troops stationed in one of the disputed reefs by blocking supply missions
BEIJING: A Philippine ship and a Chinese vessel collided near the Spratly Islands in the disputed South China Sea on Monday, Beijing’s Coast Guard said.
Beijing claims almost the entirety of the South China Sea, brushing aside competing claims from several Southeast Asian nations including the Philippines and an international ruling that its stance has no legal basis.
China deploys coast guard and other boats to patrol the waters and has turned several reefs into militarised artificial islands. Chinese and Philippine vessels have had a series of confrontations in disputed areas.
On Saturday, new Chinese coast guard rules took effect under which it can detain foreigners for alleged trespassing in the disputed sea.
Beijing’s coast guard said in a statement Monday that a “Philippine replenishment ship ignored many solemn warnings from the Chinese side.”
It “approached the... Chinese vessel in an unprofessional way, resulting in a collision,” the statement said.
Beijing accused the ship of having “illegally broken into the sea near Ren’ai Reef in China’s Nansha Islands,” using the Chinese name for the Spratly Islands.
“The Chinese Coast Guard took control measures against the Philippine ship in accordance with the law,” it added.
Manila has accused the Chinese coast guard of “barbaric and inhumane behavior” against Philippine vessels, and President Ferdinand Marcos has called the new rules a “very worrisome” escalation.
China has defended its new coast guard rules. A foreign ministry spokesman said last month that they were intended to “better uphold order at sea.”
China Coast Guard vessels have used water cannon against Philippine boats multiple times in the contested waters.
There have also been collisions that injured Filipino troops.
The Group of Seven bloc on Friday criticized what it called “dangerous” incursions by China in the South China Sea.
The South China Sea is a vital waterway, where Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei also have overlapping claims in some parts.
Most recently, however, confrontations between China and the Philippines have raised fears of a wider conflict over the sea that could involve the United States and other allies.
Trillions of dollars in ship-borne trade passes through the South China Sea annually, and huge unexploited oil and gas deposits are believed to lie under its seabed, though estimates vary greatly.
Team ‘Melodi’ woos India as Meloni-Modi video goes viral
NEW DELHI: When Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to Italy for the G7 summit, it was not diplomatic meetings that dominated headlines back in India — but the relationship with his Italian counterpart.
“Hello from the ‘Melodi’ team,” Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said in a video posted to social media on Saturday, waving next to her fellow right-wing leader Modi, beaming a wide grin.
The duo have a close public friendship, seen during the G20 summit in India last year and the COP28 climate talks in Dubai.
Modi, who reposted Meloni’s video on X and praised ties between Rome and New Delhi in Italian, was in the resort of Borgo Egnazia on the sidelines of the G7 summit, which brings together Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States.
He wrote he had meetings with Meloni to bolster ties “in areas like commerce, energy, defense, telecoms and more.”
But in India, it was the short Modi-Meloni video that grabbed attention on Sunday — fueling a flurry of memes and videos on social media dedicated to the fictional relationship between the two leaders.
In that make-believe world, the leaders have become central characters of an Internet love story that has betrayals and heartaches as well as happy moments.
AI-generated videos watched by millions show Modi crooning a love song every time Meloni appears with a political leader other than him.
But newspapers were also deeply critical and swift to cool temperatures down.
“Like other women in high offices, Meloni is being seen through a male prism — hot or not?” the Times of India’s editorial read.
“No matter how influential she is, no matter what she knows or becomes, a woman can always be subjected to such demeaning framing,” it added.
“As the Meloni discourse shows, old-fashioned misogyny dies hard.”
Biden pushes Gaza ceasefire deal in Eid message
- The US has been pressing Israel and Hamas to formally accept the ceasefire deal greenlighted by Security Council members last week
WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden used his Eid Al-Adha message to Muslims to advocate a US-backed ceasefire deal in Gaza, saying Sunday it was the best way to help civilians suffering the “horrors of war between Hamas and Israel.”
“Too many innocent people have been killed, including thousands of children. Families have fled their homes and seen their communities destroyed. Their pain is immense,” Biden said in a statement.
“I strongly believe that the three-phase ceasefire proposal Israel has made to Hamas and that the UN Security Council has endorsed is the best way to end the violence in Gaza and ultimately end the war,” he added.
The United States has been pressing Israel and Hamas to formally accept the ceasefire deal greenlighted by Security Council members last week, which would allow an initial six-week pause to fighting.
Eid Al-Adha, which marks the prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son to God, saw a rare day of relative calm in Gaza after Israel announced a “tactical pause” in fighting near Rafah to facilitate aid deliveries.
The president highlighted American efforts to “advocate for the rights of other Muslim communities” facing persecution, including the Rohingya in Myanmar and the Uyghurs in China.
He said “we’re also working to bring a peaceful resolution to the horrific conflict in Sudan,” which has been gripped by fighting between the country’s army and a rival paramilitary group since April 2023.
On the domestic front, Biden’s message Sunday also promised a crackdown on Islamophobia in a direct appeal to American Muslims, a key voting demographic in the Democrat’s reelection bid against Republican rival Donald Trump.
“My Administration is creating a national strategy to counter Islamophobia and related forms of bias and discrimination, which affect not only Muslims, but also Arab, Sikh, and South Asian Americans,” Biden said.
Biden adviser will be in Israel on Monday to avoid escalation between Israel, Lebanon
WASHINGTON: A senior Biden adviser will travel to Israel on Monday for meetings to avoid further escalation between Israel and Lebanon, a White House official said.
Amos Hochstein will advance efforts to avoid further escalation along the “Blue Line” between Israel and Lebanon, said the official, who did not wish to be identified.
Attacks between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon have led to worries of a deeper war across the Middle East.
DeChambeau outlasts McIlroy to win second US Open crown
- The 30-year-old American became the second active player of Saudi-backed LIV Golf to win a major title after Brooks Koepka in the 2023 PGA Championship
PINEHURST, United States: Bryson DeChambeau captured his second US Open title on Sunday, outlasting Rory McIlroy in a dramatic back-nine duel to win by a stroke at Pinehurst.
Overtaken by McIlroy with six holes remaining to play, DeChambeau kept his poise over the dome-shaped greens and sandy waste areas of Pinehurst to rally for the crown.
McIlroy, thwarted in a bid to end a 10-year major win drought, led by two strokes with five holes to play.
But the four-time major winner from Northern Ireland made bogeys on three of the last four holes to help hand the trophy to DeChambeau.
“I still can’t believe it,” said DeChambeau. “It’s unbelievable.”
DeChambeau, who also won the 2020 US Open, fired a one-over-par 71 to finish on six-under-par 274 while McIlroy shot 69 to stand on 275 after 72 holes.
The 30-year-old American became the second active player of Saudi-backed LIV Golf to win a major title after Brooks Koepka in the 2023 PGA Championship.
In a collapse mindful of Greg Norman’s epic 1996 last-round loss to Nick Faldo at the Masters, McIlroy missed par putts from 2.5 feet at the par-3 17th and just inside four feet at the par-4 18th — tension-packed bogeys that left McIlroy one behind.
DeChambeau found dirt and weeds left and a bunker at 18 but blasted his third shot to four feet and sank his pressure-packed putt for the victory.
“I was not great today but I got out of trouble really well and then, man, I can’t believe that up and down the last — that was All-World, probably the best shot of my life.”
Raising his arms in triumph, DeChambeau screamed and jumped for joy, then paid tribute to the late Payne Stewart, the 1999 US Open winner at Pinehurst who died only a few months later.
“That’s Payne right there, baby,” DeChambeau said into a television camera, pointing to a pin of Stewart on his cap.
Americans Tony Finau and Patrick Cantlay shared third on 276, two off the pace, with Finau firing a 67. France’s Matthieu Pavon was fifth on 277 after a 71, one stroke ahead of Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, who fired a 70 to stand on 278.
DeChambeau answered bogeys at the fourth and 12th holes with birdies at the par-5 10th and par-4 13th to keep the pressure on McIlroy until he cracked.
“I felt like I was hitting the driver pretty well. It just wasn’t starting exactly where I wanted to hit to,” DeChambeau said.
“Ultimately on 13 I knew I had to make birdie there to give myself a chance, because Rory was going on a heater.
“He slipped up a couple on the way coming in and I just kept staying the course, focused on trying to do as many fairways as I could.”
McIlroy settled for his second US Open runner-up effort in a row and his 21st top-10 finish since he last won a major at the 2014 PGA Championship.
DeChambeau and McIlroy shared the lead at seven-under when the drama seemed to turn.
McIlroy sank a five-foot putt at 13 for his fourth birdie in five holes while DeChambeau found sand and weeds off the tee and made bogey at 12, a two-shot swing leaving McIlroy on eight-under and DeChambeau two back.
But DeChambeau birdied 13 from just outside 27 feet and McIlroy went over the green at the par-3 15th and missed a 31-foot par putt, leaving them deadlocked at the top again.
DeChambeau then suffered his first three-putt bogey of the tournament, lipping out a four-foot par putt at the par-3 15th to fall one back, only for McIlroy to botch his short putts at the end.
Pavon failed in his bid to become the second Frenchman to win a major title after Arnaud Massy at the 1907 British Open.
Sweden’s sixth-seeded Ludvig Aberg, who began five back, took a triple bogey at the second to fall back. He fired a 73 to share 12th on 281.
World number one Scottie Scheffler, the huge pre-tournament favorite, fired a two-over 72 to stand on eight-over 288 for what was only his second finish outside the top-10 this year.
“Didn’t play my best. A bit frustrating to end,” he said. “I definitely need to do some things better.”
