Govt officials among five declared responsible for Makkah crane crash

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution has declared five high-level officials belonging to technical and engineering staff responsible for the deadly crane crash that killed at least 107 and injured 250 earlier this year.

According to a Saudi newspaper, sources on Wednesday said that a case would be lodged against those declared responsible including government officials by the authorities. They however did not name any officials.

Sources told Daily Al-Watan that two months ago, the bureau had launched a probe into the September 11 incident by questioning suspicious people of Binladen Group – one of the largest contracting companies in the kingdom, had been carrying expansion work at the Grand Mosque.

From there they said evidence of ‘negligence’ were found that led to the deadly accident less two weeks before the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

A charge sheet against the suspects would be prepared by the bureau’s central office in Riyadh, where results of investigation would soon be sent.

Saudi Arabia had suspended Binladin Group from new contracts following the Makkah crane crash and ordered the finance ministry to review its existing projects.

King Salman had also ordered that all members of the board and senior executives of the group be prevented from travelling abroad after an initial investigation into the incident showed the crane had been erected in a way that deviated from manufacturer’s instructions, causing it to crash in high wind.