RIYADH, Jan. 6 (Xinhuanet) -- More bodies were recovered by search teams on Friday in a collapsed hotel in Mecca in Saudi Arabia, bringing the death toll to 76, authorities said.

    By now, rescue efforts have been finished and all debris has been removed from the site after the retrieval of more bodies and people trapped in the rubbles, said the Saudi Press Agency late Friday.

    According to the agency, altogether 76 people have been killed and 62 others injured in the accident, 24 of whom remain hospitalized. The death toll has been confirmed by Interior Ministry spokesman General Mansur al-Turki.

    The tragedy occurred when pilgrims from different parts of the world converged in the Muslim holy city of Mecca to perform the hajj, which formally starts on Sunday.

    The victims of the accident were of various nationalities, the Arab television channel Al-Arabiya reported.

    Al-Turki said late Thursday that the cause of the collapse would be investigated by a committee headed by Interior Minister Prince Nayef Ben Abdel Aziz. Enditem