At least 65 people were killed and 150 injured when a crane crashed through the ceiling of the Grand Mosque of Mecca amid high winds and thunderstorms today.
Upsetting pictures circulating on social media showed bloodied bodies strewn across the floor where the crane came crashing through after it was struck by thunder.
The tragic incident in Saudi Arabia occurred shortly before the 6:30pm Friday evening prayer session, causing devastation to what is the largest mosque in the world.
Hundreds of thousands of Muslims are gathering at the holy site from all over the world for the annual hajj pilgrimage set to begin later this month.
Pictures taken before the disaster show the fatal crane being struck by a bolt of lightning and authorities are in little doubt that extreme weather was to blame.
Before today’s accident, the Civil Defense issued thunderstorm, heavy rain and wind warnings in the area.
The Saudi Civil Defense says search and rescue teams and medical workers from the Saudi Red Crescent have been sent to the scene.
The Grand Mosque, or Great Mosque of Mecca, is the biggest mosque in the world and surrounds Islam’s holiest place, the Kaaba, in the city of Mecca.
The accident has happened with millions in the Muslim holy city for the annual pilgrimage.
One of the five pillars of Islam requires every Muslim to perform the Hajj pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime.
Muslim faithful from about 160 countries converge on the Islamic city and other locations in western Saudi Arabia to complete the holy journey.
It is one of the largest annual gatherings of people in the world.