Saudi Binladin Group sanctioned over deadly crane crash

JEDDAH: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman on Tuesday ordered that top officials of the Saudi Binladin Group be banned from traveling outside the kingdom after probers pinned the blame partially on the construction company for Friday’s deadly crane crash in Makkah. A royal court announcement carried by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said the king is reviewing the report of the Accident Investigation Committee, which suggested negligence on the part of the Saudi Binladin Group, but concluded that it found an “absence of criminal suspicion.” The report said “the main reason for the accident is the strong winds while the crane was in a wrong position.” Some 111 people were killed and 331 injured when the giant crane being used in the expansion project at the Grand Mosque toppled and crashed into a portion of the mataf (circumambulation area) around the holy Kaaba on Sept. 11. Pending completion of the investigation, all members of the Board of Directors of Binladin Group, as well as Bakr bin Mohammed bin Ladin and senior executives in the group and others connected with the project are banned from leaving the kingdom, said the royal court order. -arabnews