Saudi King Sanctions Binladin Firm over Crane Tragedy
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Saudi Arabia’s King Salman sanctioned the powerful Saudi Binladin Group Tuesday over the collapse of a construction crane at Mecca’s Grand Mosque, which killed more than 100 people days before the Hajj pilgrimage.
An investigative committee concluded that the company “was in part responsible” for Friday’s tragedy, which killed at least 107 people and injured almost 400 during a severe thunderstorm accompanied by violent winds, AFP reported citing the official Saudi Press Agency.
Investigators found that the crane was allegedly “in a wrong position” when the high winds struck, as its main arm should have been lowered, the SPA said.
“The position of the crane was in violation of operating instructions prepared by the manufacturer,” SPA said, adding there had been no response to several letters from concerned authorities about that crane and others.
The firm’s executives have been forbidden from leaving the kingdom pending the completion of legal action, SPA said, adding that Salman ordered prosecutors to prepare an indictment. Until the case is closed, the company will also be excluded from new public projects.
According to Saudi Binladin Group’s website, the company has worked on numerous prominent projects in Saudi Arabia including Al-Faisaliah tower in central Riyadh, King Abdullah Financial District, universities and the King Abdel-Aziz International Airport in Jeddah.
The construction firm belongs to the family of the late Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
Saudi Arabia’s Finance Ministry has been ordered to “urgently review all current government projects being executed by the group and others to ensure compliance with safety procedures,” SPA said.
Saudi Binladin Group had been working for four years on a multibillion-dollar 400,000-square-meter enlargement of the Grand Mosque, to accommodate increasing numbers of pilgrims.