A construction crane which crashed in the Grand Mosque is pictured in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. (File photo: Reuters)
Mecca crane collapse: Court acquits 13 defendants after examining case
A court in Saudi Arabia has acquitted 13 defendants in the Mecca crane collapse case of 2015, including the Bin Laden Group, according to sources who spoke to the Okaz newspaper.
During the verdict hearing, the court said no new evidence appeared on the investigations into the deadly collapse in 2015 that led to the deaths of over 100 people.
For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
The same court had issued a similar verdict in October 2017 acquitting all the 13 defendants who were charged with negligence.
It is believed the crane collapsed inside the premises of the Grand Mosque in Mecca as a result of high winds.
“The crane was in an upright, correct, and safe position. There was no error committed by the accused, who had taken all the necessary safety precautions,” the Saudi Gazette newspaper quoted the court as noting in its decision.
According to the Saudi Gazette, the Attorney General has objected to the verdict and has appealed against it.
“The Mecca court had also ruled that the disaster was caused by heavy rains and thunderstorms, rather than human error or fault,” according to the Saudi Gazette.
Read more:
Insurers may have to pay $9m for Mecca crane crash
Mecca crane collapse: Five engineers, technicians found guilty
