Another stampede at Mina in 2004 left 244 pilgrims dead and hundreds injured.
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Millions of people are now visiting the city for the annual Hajj pilgrimage, a trip that every Muslim is supposed to make at least once. The Hajj pilgrimage is considered very important for the Muslims, as they are obliged to visit at least once in their lifetime, the holy city of Mecca.
Over 805 pilgrims were killed today in a crush at Mina, outside the Muslim holy city of Mecca, where some two million people are performing the annual haj pilgrimage, Saudi Arabia’s civil defence authority said. The incident occurred during the ritual known as “stoning the devil”, in Mina, west of Mecca.
The stampede was the deadliest at the Hajj since 1990, when 1,426 pilgrims died in an overcrowded pedestrian tunnel.
A sudden surge in the number of pilgrims heading to Jamarat for the symbolic stoning of the devil by throwing pebbles at three stone walls resulted in the stampede at 9 am local time (1130 IST).
The stampede was caused by two large groups of pilgrims arriving together at a cross road on their way to the stoning ritual at Jamarat, said Saudi civil defence officials.
The Saudi authorities have spent billions of dollars on improving transport and other infrastructure in the area in an attempt to try to prevent such incidents.
Hajj has experienced similar tragedies in the past but this was the deadliest since 1990.
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.
April 1998: around 180 pilgrims trampled to death, panic broke out after many fell from an overpass. Just 13 days ago a crane collapsed at the Grand Mosque killing 109 people.
That accident, on September 11, killed at least 111 people and injured more than 390.
2001: A stampede at Mina during the final day of the pilgrimage ceremonies kills 35 Haj pilgrims.
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Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has conveyed his condolences to the families of those affected by the stampede in Mina which has claimed more than 700 lives and injured some 800 pilgrims.
