The King of Saudi Arabia Salman has ordered a safety review for the Hajj pilgrimage after at least 717 people died in a stampede near the holy city of Mecca. Another 863 people were injured in the incident at Mina, which occurred as two million pilgrims were taking part in the Hajj's last major rite.
It is the deadliest incident to occur during the pilgrimage in 25 years. The king said there was a need "to improve the level of organisation and management of movement" of pilgrims.
This is the second disaster to strike Mecca in two weeks, after a crane collapsed at the Grand Mosque, killing 109 people.
As part of the Hajj, pilgrims travel to Mina, a large valley about 5km (3 miles) from Mecca, to throw seven stones at pillars called Jamarat, which represent the devil. The pillars stand where Satan is believed to have tempted the Prophet Abraham.
Why do millions gather in Mecca every year?
Iranian anger
Offering condolences to the relatives of the dead and injured, King Salman said: "We have instructed concerned authorities to review the operations plan and to raise the level of organisation and management to ensure that the guests of God perform their rituals in comfort and ease."Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayyef, who chairs the Hajj committee, has begun an inquiry into the tragedy.
Deaths so far by nationality
- Iran: 131
- India: 14
- Pakistan: 6
- Indonesia: 3
- Other nationalities (numbers not yet confirmed): Niger: Chad
Health Minister Khaled al-Falih promised a "fast" investigation and said the crush occurred "perhaps because some pilgrims moved without following instructions by the relevant authorities".
However, Iran has fiercely criticised Saudi Arabia's handling of the pilgrimage.
Announcing three days of national mourning, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said: "The Saudi government should accept the responsibility of this sorrowful incident... Mismanagement and improper actions have caused this catastrophe."
'Tripping over'
The accident occurred at 09:00 local time (06:00 GMT) on Thursday as pilgrims were walking towards the five-storey structure which surrounds the pillars, known as the Jamarat Bridge.
Maj Gen Mansour al-Turki, a spokesman for the Saudi interior ministry, said two large groups of pilgrims had converged from different directions on to one street.
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