Haj 2025: As pilgrims gather in Mecca, a look at the previous tragedies

The annual Islamic pilgrimage for the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia is scheduled to begin on Wednesday. In the last decade, the sacred phenomenon has seen a series of tragic events, from deadly stamps to terrorist attacks.Last year, about 1,301 pilgrims, mostly unregistered, when the temperature rose to 51.8 ° C, with several air -conditioned tents and access to buses.

Stampede

Stamped has been a recurring tragedy during Haj. The most deadly in 2015, when about 2,300 worshipers died during the ritual of symbolic “devil” in Meena near Mecca.Two weeks ago, more than 100 people were killed when strong winds caused a construction crane to collapse on the grand mosque of Mecca.In 2006, a hotel collapsed at the center of the city of Mecca, killing 76 people, after which a stampede occurred sometime that claimed the lives of 364 pilgrims.The first tragedies consisted of a 1994 stampede, killing 270 people, and a 1990 disaster in which 1,426 people were killed due to failure of a ventilation system in a tunnel in Meena. Most of the victims were Asians, and seven pilgrims allegedly fell from a bridge.

Deadly attack

On July 10, 1989, twin explosions outside the Grand Mosque killed one person and injured 16 others. Later, 16 Kuwaiti Shias were convicted and killed for attacks.In another major incident, on November 20, 1979, gunmen held dozens of pilgrims hostage demanding the sacrifice of the Saudi royal family.

Protest

On July 31, 1987, a fatal opposition, during an unauthorized demonstration, more than 400 people, including 275 Iranian pilgrims, were killed.

Fire

In one of the worst fire incidents, a gas stove explosion caused an explosion, killing 343 people and injuring 1,500 in Meena.In 1975, more than 200 people died after an explosion in the gas canister near a pilgrim camp near Mecca.This year, more than a million Muslim pilgrims have arrived in Mecca for Haj. Being more than 40 ° C with temperature forecasting, authorities have prepared to avoid repeating previous disasters.Forty government agencies and 250,000 personnel have been deployed to manage heat and ensure safety of pilgrims.