A security officer was injured on Tuesday after intervening in an incident in which a man attempted to take his own life from the upper floors of the Grand Mosque in Makkah.
In a statement, the Special Security Force for the Security of the Grand Mosque said the officer was hurt while trying to prevent the individual from hitting the ground during the fall. Both the man and the officer were immediately taken to hospital for medical attention, while all required official procedures were completed.
Authorities confirmed that the situation was swiftly brought under control and reassured worshippers that safety measures within the Grand Mosque remain firmly in place.
Although rare, similar incidents have occurred in the past at the holy site. In 2018, the Grand Mosque recorded a number of tragic cases involving individuals who jumped from elevated areas of the complex. In early June of that year, a French national died after jumping from the roof of the mosque, an act that was captured in state news reports at the time. The same year also witnessed the death of a Bangladeshi man who fell from an upper level of the mosque, while another incident reportedly left a worshipper injured after being struck by a falling body.
In August of that same year, an Arab man also took his own life after jumping from the Grand Mosque, further underscoring the rare but distressing nature of such incidents.
Earlier, in 2017, a Saudi man had attempted to set himself on fire in front of the Kaaba the square stone building at the centre of the mosque compound but was stopped by security forces before he could cause harm.
These incidents have continued to shape safety and surveillance strategies at the Grand Mosque, with authorities strengthening monitoring systems, emergency response readiness and on-site medical support to prevent loss of life and protect worshippers.
Saudi authorities have again urged individuals experiencing psychological or emotional distress to seek help, stressing that support services are available. They reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring the safety, dignity and wellbeing of all worshippers at Islam’s holiest site.
