Report: No compensation for Mecca 2015 crane crash victims

PETALING JAYA: The seven Malaysian victims who were among 108 people killed when a crane collapsed on the Grand Mosque in Mecca two years ago, will not receive any compensation from the construction company involved.

The Summary Court in Mecca has ruled that all the victims of the crane crash will not receive any “diyyah” (blood money), the Saudi Gazette reported.

The court ruled in favour of the BinLaden Group and acquitted all 13 of the company’s employees in charge of operating the giant crane.

Aside from the 108 fatalities, another 238 people were injured when the crane fell on the eastern wall of the Grand Mosque on Sept 11, 2015.

The court ruled that neither the pilgrims nor the Grand Mosque needed to be compensated for the damage, “because the disaster was caused by natural reasons and there was no human element behind it”.

According to the Saudi Gazette, the judge in the case said the court took its decision after thoroughly reviewing technical, engineering, mechanical and geophysical reports in addition to carefully studying the reports of the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment that said it was the heavy rains and thunderous storms that caused the collapse of the crane.

“The crane was in an upright, correct and safe position. There was no error committed by the accused who took all the necessary safety precautions,” the judge was quoted as saying, adding that specialised international centre reports presented by the BinLaden Group in support of its defence were also taken into account.

“The attorney-general did not present any solid evidence that the BinLaden Group had violated safety rules. The evidence he had presented was not sufficient to incriminate the defendants.”

The Saudi daily reported that the attorney-general had objected to the court ruling, saying he would appeal the verdict. He has 30 days to file an appeal, else the decision by the court is final and binding.

Malaysian victims
In March this year, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki told the Dewan Rakyat that Tabung Haji, which manages all matters related to Muslim pilgrims going to Mecca, had not received any news on the compensation payment for victims killed or injured in the tragedy.

“Compensation payment to the victims is the absolute right of the Saudi Arabian government. Tabung Haji has submitted the names of the pilgrims involved to the Saudi Arabian government for the purpose.

“Tabung Haji is always in contact with the Saudi Arabian government and will inform (recipients) of any latest development,” he was reported to have said, adding that Tabung Haji paid the families of the victims RM43,000 each.

Following the incident, Saudi ruler, King Salman, had visited the scene of the disaster and ordered that all victims be paid compensation.

The King had ordered that the family of a dead victim would be paid Saudi Riyal (SR) 1 million (RM1.13 million) while the compensation for each incapacitated injured would be SR500,000.

It is not known if the Saudi ruler had eventually paid out the compensation and if it was done through the governments of the various nationals who were victims.

However, according to the Saudi Gazette, the king’s gesture had nothing to do with the “blood money” which should have been decided by the court. -FMT