New Tally in Saudi Hajj Disaster Shows at Least 1,399 Killed

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

New Tally in Saudi Hajj Disaster Shows at Least 1,399 Killed

By JON GAMBRELL, ASSOCIATED PRESS DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Oct 8, 2015, 6:32 PM ET

The crush and stampede last month outside of Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca killed at least 1,399 people during the hajj pilgrimage, a new tally Thursday showed, 630 more than the kingdom's official toll.

The Associated Press count of the dead from the worst tragedy to strike the hajj in a quarter-century comes as Saudi Arabia faces threats ranging from an Islamic State insurgency, a war in Yemen against Shiite rebels and weakening global oil prices gnawing away at its reserves.

Any disaster at the hajj, a pillar of Islamic faith, could be seen as a blow to the kingdom's cherished stewardship of Islam's holiest sites. This season saw two, including the Sept. 11 collapse of a crane at Mecca's Grand Mosque that killed 111 people.

Saudi Arabia has been hesitant to release updated casualty figures from the Sept. 24 stampede in Mina, even as hundreds remain missing.

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Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/ap-count-saudi-hajj-disaster-shows-1250-killed-34334790

[Skittles]

1. insanity

very tragic

[Yorktown]

2. Where was God? On vacation?

I mean, this is supposed to be the holy of holies to a muslim.

Mecca, holy city, Kabaa, its holy center. And God looks on the stampede and does nothing?

Was God absent that day? Or is it always absent? Or could he/it be inexistent?

[stone space]

5. That's cruel. (nt)

[Yorktown]

11. Gallows humor

Still, the paradox holds: where was God on that day?

[stone space]

12. You sound like Pat Robertson after a disaster. (nt)

[Yorktown]

13. Nah. Pat believes in God.

I am just enquiring as to his/her/its whereabouts.

[stone space]

14. Pat's post-disaster cruelty rivals your own.

God or no God.

[Yorktown]

15. No: old question. millions of innocent deaths/year. Where is God?

The fact the deaths occured in one of god's holy places just highlights the question.

[Iggo]

3. And for what?

Nothing.

That's what.

[stone space]

4. .

[edhopper]

6. And what caused it?

Truly sad.

[Act_of_Reparation]

7. Crowd density

At around 6-7 people per square meter, it becomes impossible to move.

In practical terms, however, it is the Saudi government's fault. In allowing X number of pilgrims into a space that could only reasonably accommodate Y, they have demonstrated a fundamental failure to grasp even the most basic elements of crowd control.

[edhopper]

8. Too bad

No one responsible will be held accountable.

Though I expect an escape goat.

[Act_of_Reparation]

10. In the wise words of Mel Brooks

"It's good to be the king."

[hrmjustin]

9. Horrific!