Disasters in recent years at the annual Muslim pilgrimage, or hajj, in
Saudi
Arabia:
- Jan. 12, 2006: Hundreds of pilgrims are killed and many others are
injured in a stampede caused when some pilgrims tripped over dropped
luggage amid people rushing to carry out the symbolic ritual of
stoning the devil in Mina.
- Feb. 1, 2004: 244 pilgrims killed and a similar number injured in a
stampede during the devil-stoning ritual.
- March 5, 2001: 35 killed in stampede during stoning of the devil
ritual.
- April 9, 1998: About 180 pilgrims are trampled to death when panic
erupts after several fell off an overpass during the stoning of the
devil ritual.
- April 15, 1997: Fires driven by high winds tear through an
overcrowded tent city at Mina, killing more than 340 pilgrims and
injuring 1,500. Aid workers and diplomats said the death toll was at
least 500.
- May 23, 1994: 270 pilgrims, most of them Indonesian, are killed in a
stampede as worshippers surge forward for devil-stoning ritual.
- July 2, 1990: 1,426 pilgrims, many of them Malaysians, Indonesian
and Pakistanis, killed in Mecca stampede in overcrowded pedestrian
tunnel leading to holy sites. The worst hajj tragedy of modern times.
- July 9, 1989: Two bombs explode in Mecca, killing one pilgrim,
wounding 16. Saudi authorities blame Iranian-inspired terrorists and
later behead 16 Kuwaiti Shiite Muslims for bombings. Iran denied
involvement.
- July 31, 1987: More than 400 people, mostly Iranian pilgrims, killed
and 649 wounded in Mecca when security forces clash with Iranians
staging illegal anti-U.S. demonstration.
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