Fatal disasters at annual Muslim haj pilgrimage

More than 450 pilgrims were killed in a crush at haj on Thursday, the deadliest such incident since 2006.

Here are some other fatal events at haj in past years.

December 1975 – A cooking gas cylinder explodes in the pilgrim tent city, causing a fire that kills over 200 pilgrims.

July 1987 – Iranian protesters clash with Saudi police, leading to the death of more than 400 Iranian pilgrims.

July 1990 – Inside the al-Muaissem tunnel near Mecca in Saudi Arabia, 1,426 pilgrims are crushed to death. The accident occurs on Eid al-Adha (The Feast of Sacrifice), Islam’s most important feast at the end of the haj and the day of the “stoning of the devil” ritual.

May 1994 – A stampede near Jamarat Bridge in Mina, near Mecca, kills 270 in the area where pilgrims ritually stone the devil.

April 1997 – Up to 343 pilgrims are killed in a tent fire at the haj camp at Mina, prompting the government to construct a permanent, fireproof tent city there.

April 1998 – A total of 119 Muslim pilgrims are crushed to death in Saudi Arabia at the haj.

February 2004 – A stampede kills 251 Muslim pilgrims in Saudi Arabia near the Jamarat Bridge during the stoning of the devil.

January 2006 – Some 362 Muslim pilgrims are crushed to death at the eastern entrance of the Jamarat Bridge during the stoning ritual.

September 2015 – A crane crashes into the Grand Mosque days before haj begins, crushing 111 people to death.

September 2015 – A crush of pilgrims travelling from the camp at Mina to the Jamarat bridge kills at least 310, Saudi civil defence says.