At least 30 dead in stampede at Haiti’s historic Citadelle Laferriere

Al Jazeera:

At least 30 people have been killed in a stampede in the northern countryside of Haiti, according to authorities, who warned that the death toll could rise.

Jean Henri Petit, head of Civil Protection for Haiti’s Nord Department, said the stampede occurred on Saturday at the Citadelle Laferriere, an early-19th-century fortress built shortly after Haiti’s independence from France.

One of Haiti’s most popular tourist attractions, “La Citadelle” was packed with students and visitors who had come to participate in an annual celebration at the fortress, which was designated a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1982.

Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime said in a statement that he “extends his sincere condolences to the bereaved families and assures them of his profound solidarity during this time of mourning and great suffering”.

He added that “many young people” were in attendance at La Citadelle’s celebrations, although it is unknown who died, and the prime minister’s statement did not give an estimate of the death toll.