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CNN Live Sunday
More Than 240 Trampled to Death in Mecca
Aired February 01, 2004 - 11:05 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: In Saudi Arabia, tragedy among a sea of pilgrims. More than 240 people are trampled to death during the annual Hajj pilgrimage. It happened during a stone-throwing ritual at Mina after the pilgrims had marched from Mecca. CNN producer Adil Bradlow, in Mecca, on the telephone now.
Adil, what exactly happened to trigger this?
ADIL BRADLOW, CNN PRODUCER: Well, it was during the ritual called the "stoning of the devil," which is at the climax of the pilgrimage, where over 2 million pilgrims descend on the bridge of the Jemarat, as it's called. It's a 15-meter wide bridge, probably about 15 meters high, and the crowd surges through this narrow confined area to pelt stones at a stone pillar that signifies the devil.
Now, apparently at about 9:00 this morning, a large crowd came through the bridge and were pressed up - the geography of the pillar is such that there is a round retaining wall and people come from all sides to pelt -- to pelt stones at this pillar, and the scale of the crowd apparently was such that those at the front were unable to escape, and as more and more people were coming in to press forward, those at the front were crushed.
In all, 244 pilgrims were trampled to death afternoon a further 244 were injured, which seven are believed to be in a serious condition.
SAVIDGE: Adil, this has happened before at this very same spot. Have the Saudis not come up with a way to try to control it?
BRADLOW: It's a regular feature, as you quite rightly say. Last year, 14 people died, and in previous years there have been up to several hundred people being killed. This is the worst in nearly ten years. But the problem with controlling the crowd situation here is that you're dealing with people who are reaching the climax of their religious pilgrimage, who are in a state of ecstasy, and it's very difficult for them -- for the police to maintain control over the crowd. Apparently the Saudi minister of pilgrimage said that this particular crowd this morning was more intense than they had experienced at any time before and was less controlled, and so they were bringing with them, personal belongings they left and people were tripping over these, and that caused part of the problem apparently.
SAVIDGE: CNN producer Adil Bradlow joining us on the telephone from Mecca. Thank you for that.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired February 1, 2004 - 11:05 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: In Saudi Arabia, tragedy among a sea of pilgrims. More than 240 people are trampled to death during the annual Hajj pilgrimage. It happened during a stone-throwing ritual at Mina after the pilgrims had marched from Mecca. CNN producer Adil Bradlow, in Mecca, on the telephone now.
Adil, what exactly happened to trigger this?
ADIL BRADLOW, CNN PRODUCER: Well, it was during the ritual called the "stoning of the devil," which is at the climax of the pilgrimage, where over 2 million pilgrims descend on the bridge of the Jemarat, as it's called. It's a 15-meter wide bridge, probably about 15 meters high, and the crowd surges through this narrow confined area to pelt stones at a stone pillar that signifies the devil.
Now, apparently at about 9:00 this morning, a large crowd came through the bridge and were pressed up - the geography of the pillar is such that there is a round retaining wall and people come from all sides to pelt -- to pelt stones at this pillar, and the scale of the crowd apparently was such that those at the front were unable to escape, and as more and more people were coming in to press forward, those at the front were crushed.
In all, 244 pilgrims were trampled to death afternoon a further 244 were injured, which seven are believed to be in a serious condition.
SAVIDGE: Adil, this has happened before at this very same spot. Have the Saudis not come up with a way to try to control it?
BRADLOW: It's a regular feature, as you quite rightly say. Last year, 14 people died, and in previous years there have been up to several hundred people being killed. This is the worst in nearly ten years. But the problem with controlling the crowd situation here is that you're dealing with people who are reaching the climax of their religious pilgrimage, who are in a state of ecstasy, and it's very difficult for them -- for the police to maintain control over the crowd. Apparently the Saudi minister of pilgrimage said that this particular crowd this morning was more intense than they had experienced at any time before and was less controlled, and so they were bringing with them, personal belongings they left and people were tripping over these, and that caused part of the problem apparently.
SAVIDGE: CNN producer Adil Bradlow joining us on the telephone from Mecca. Thank you for that.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
