Jeddah, Asharq Al-Awsat—Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Bin Abdulaziz on Tuesday ordered the compensation of the families of those killed in last Friday’s deadly crane collapse at Mecca’s Grand Mosque as well those injured as a result of the incident, which killed 107 people and injured 238.
The crane was operated by the Saudi Binladin Group, and King Salman ordered the suspension of all existing contracts for the construction giant until the completion of an investigation by the Saudi Finance Ministry, the Saudi Press Agency said.
The King ordered that the families of each person killed in the incident be compensated with 1 million Saudi riyals (270,000 US dollars). Those who suffered serious injuries as a result of the crane collapse will each receive the same amount, while all others injured will each receive 500,000 riyals (130,000 dollars) in compensation.
The 60-meter crane collapsed on Friday afternoon when the construction machinery smashed into the part of the Grand Mosque that surrounds the Ka’aba—Islam’s holiest shrine which stands at the center of the of the mosque, the world’s largest.
The accident came less than two weeks before millions of Muslims from around the world come to Saudi Arabia to perform Islam’s annual Hajj pilgrimage.
The committee tasked with investigating the incident has now submitted its report to the King. It said heavy winds were the primary cause of the crane’s collapse and found the Saudi Binladin Group “partly responsible” for the incident, saying the firm contravened instructions from the crane’s manufacturer which stipulated that it be lowered when not in use or during heavy winds.
Saudi Arabia has now issued travel bans on the firm’s board members and senior executives “until the [Finance Ministry] investigation is completed and judicial decisions have been implemented as a result.”