Okaz /Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — Victims of the 2015 Makkah crane crash will not get any diyyah (blood money), the Summary Court in Makkah has ruled.

The court also said that neither the injured will get any compensation nor the damages caused to the Grand Mosque will be compensated because the disaster was caused by natural reasons and there was no human element behind it.

The court has acquitted all 13 employees of the Binaldin Group who were in charge of operating the giant crane, but the Attorney General, who objected to the court ruling, said he would appeal the verdict.

Under the court procedures any ruling which is not appealed within 30 days becomes final and binding.

As many as 108 people were killed and 238 others were injured when a carne fell on the eastern wall of the Grand Mosque in September 2015.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, who visited the scene of the disaster, ordered that all victims should be paid compensation.

The King’s gesture has nothing to do with the blood money which should have been decided by the court.

The King ordered that the family of a dead victim would be paid SR1 million while the compensation for each incapacitated injured would be SR500,000.

The judge in the case said the court took its decision after thoroughly reviewing technical, engineering, mechanical and geophysical reports in addition to carefully studying the reports of the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment which said it was the heavy rains and thunderous storms that caused the collapse of the crane.

“The crane was in an upright, correct and safe position. There was no error committed by the accused who took all the necessary safety precautions,” the court said.

The court said it also checked the reports of a number of specialized international centers presented by the Binladen Group in addition to the reports of the Civil Defense before arriving at its final decision.

It said the presence of the crane in its place in the eastern plaza of the Haram for more than two years was approved by the authorities concerned.

“The Attorney General did not present any solid evidence that the Binladen Group had violated safety rules. The evidence he had presented was not sufficient to incriminate the defendants,” it added.