Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — They break their fast with dates and water while flying 2,500 feet above the ground. They are the pilots of public security helicopters hovering over Makkah to ensure the security and safety of pilgrims and visitors. Passing by the mountains, tunnels, expressways and residential districts, these security pilots keep an eye on all corners of Makkah, especially near the Grand Mosque and the central area, to prevent any potential dangers. They pass security information to the operations room. These security officers break their fast in their helicopters, but they feel happy for doing their noble duty of ensuring the safety of the guests of Allah. Saudi Gazette was on one of the helicopters during an evening trip recently. [caption id="attachment_63671" align="aligncenter" width="750"] The Grand Mosque in Makkah brimming with pilgrims. [/caption] The trip started from the security base in Jeddah. From the sky, we saw massive development projects carried out by the government in Makkah and other holy sites for the welfare of pilgrims. The streets in Makkah looked vast even from the sky. We crossed the security checkpoint at Shumaisy and the Holy Qur'an Gateway on the Makkah-Jeddah Expressway and we reached the holy city before Maghreb. The helicopter hovered over the Grand Mosque to monitor the situation in and around the mosque. [caption id="attachment_63673" align="aligncenter" width="750"] A view of the Grand Mosque in Makkah from a Public Security helicopter 2,500 meters above the ground. — SG photo[/caption] The massive prayer area around the Grand Mosque was ready to welcome worshippers. The eastern, western and northern courtyards appeared white due to the presence of a large number of pilgrims in ihram (white seamless cloth worn by pilgrims during Umrah and Haj). Security officers had created a security belt to ensure smooth flow of pilgrims. We could hear the reverberating sound of talbiya "Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik" from the mataf (the circumambulation area). We could see a large number of people standing near the Holy Kaaba crying and seeking Allah's forgiveness and blessings. The pilots in the helicopter were also praying to Allah for being able to complete their mission to ensure the safety and security of pilgrims and visitors.
