Seems like an overly high estimate to me, considering the Saudis say the entire project will create a total of 460,000 jobs over its lifetime and there are currently 140k working on it - so a 10% fatality rate? The Burj Khalifa only reported a single fatality and the Empire State Building, with 1930s safety, only killed 5 of 3400 workers. They're also saying that 100,000 have gone missing as well.

What's the methodology here? For these numbers to be accurate does nobody notice the refrigerated trucks filled with dead being carted away every day?

Well, you don’t need refrigeration when the entire empty quarter is your back yard.

I agree though, the numbers seem comically high.

It's because your maths is wrong.

140k is the number currently working on it. Not the total over the project lifetime.

And given that the deaths were caused by heat exhaustion not sure Empire State Building and arguably Burj Khalifa are relevant. Especially when skyscrapers naturally offer protection as you work your way up.

I don’t trust ITV to get an accurate number. People tend to have a huge bias against MENA and the figures perpetuated by everybody for Qatar’s builds are extremely exaggerated.

Thank you, I was actually looking for this!

Doesn’t seem remotely possible that this is true.