Grand Mosque accident: Nine Indian pilgrims injured, says MEA

Delhi: Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday night that they had received reports of nine Indian pilgrims being injured in in the mishap that happened at Mecca`s Grand Mosque.

The MEA also said that the Indian consulate in Jeddah was monitoring the situation.

Vikas Swarup, official spokesperson, MEA posted on Twitter - "Our Consulate in Jeddah is monitoring situation in Makkah following tragic accident. We have received reports that 9 Indian pilgrims are injured."

In another post he wrote: "Senior officers including our Consul General are on the ground in Makkah. Indian doctors r deployed in all government hospital  and ascertaining more information.

Our Consulate in Jeddah is monitoring situation in Makkah following tragic accident. We have recd reports that 9 Indian pilgrims are injured

— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) September 11, 2015

Senior officers incldg our Consul General are on the ground in Makkah. Indian doctors r deployed in all Govt hosp & ascertaining more info.— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) September 11, 2015

At least 107 people were killed when a crane toppled over at Mecca`s Grand Mosque on Friday, Saudi Arabia`s Civil Defence authority said, less than two weeks before Islam`s annual haj pilgrimage.

At least 238 people were wounded, Saudi Arabia`s Civil Defence body said.

"All those who were wounded and the dead have been taken to hospital. There are no casualties left at the location," General Suleiman al-Amr, director general of the Civil Defence Authority, told al-Ikhbariya television. Strong wind and rains had uprooted trees and rocked cranes in the area, he said, as per Reuters.

A statement by a spokesman for the administration of the mosques in Mecca and Medina said the crane smashed into the part of the Grand Mosque where worshippers circle the Kaaba - the black-clad cube towards which the world`s 1.6 billion Muslims face to pray.

Pictures circulating on social media showed pilgrims in bloodied robes and debris from a part of the crane that appeared to have crashed through a ceiling.

(With Reuters inputs)