3 Chinese hurt in accident

Three Chinese Muslims were among the injured when a massive crane smashed into Mecca's Grand Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, killing at least 107 people on Saturday, the China Islamic Association said on Sunday.

Two people from the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region were hit by falling objects. A man from Gansu province was injured when he slipped after witnessing the accident, said association staff member Ma Xiubang on Saturday in Beijing. All the injured are in stable condition.

"We can't tell how many Chinese Muslims were at the Grand Mosque when the crane fell because they all go to perform the daily prayers by themselves. Luckily, none of them were killed," said Ma, who helps organize the annual pilgrimage.

Organizers of the Chinese pilgrimage delegation in Mecca, Islam's holiest city, have strongly advised Chinese Muslims to perform their daily prayers at the mosques near the buildings where they are staying. The local authorities informed the delegation that the hajj will continue, he said.

All 14,500 Chinese Muslims have arrived in Mecca and are preparing for the hajj to get underway in full later this month, said Yang Zhibo, deputy president of the association.

The Kaaba, a massive cube-shaped structure at the center of the Grand Mosque has a major role in the hajj. A project is underway to expand the area surrounding the Kaaba, so it can accommodate up to 2.2 million people instead of the current 1 million. It is due to be completed at the end of this year, Yang said.

Dai Junfeng, deputy president of the Yunnan Islamic Association, used his cellphone to record a massive storm of wind and sand from his hotel room at the time the crane collapsed.

China Daily