The gathering point of all Muslims, Mecca has already experienced excessive turmoil in its holiest sanctuaries. For almost 14 hundred years, Mecca have suffered invasions and desecrations, including as recently as 1979. Considering the historical and religious power that the area represents, an all-out ban on aircraft guarantees the safety of pilgrims who have crossed the earth to practice their faith. Exceptions and permissions occur, such as the 2006 Mecca hostel collapse, when a building crumbled and killed 76 of these pilgrims. Emergency services were permitted the use of helicopters to administer aid to civilians, many of whom were passers-by at nearby markets.
