World

El Salvador soccer stadium stampede leaves at least 9 dead

At least nine people were killed and dozens more injured when stampeding soccer fans pushed through one of the access gates at a quarterfinal match in the Salvadoran league Saturday.

The National Civil Police said in a preliminary report via Twitter that nine dead were confirmed at the match between clubs Alianza and FAS at Monumental Stadium in Cuscatlan, which is about 25 miles northeast of the capital.

At least two of the injured transported to hospitals were in critical condition, police said.

Carlos Fuentes, spokesman for the first aid group Rescue Commandos, also confirmed the deaths.

“We can confirm nine dead — seven men and two women — and we attended to more than 500 people, and more than 100 were transported to hospitals, some of them were serious,” Fuentes said.


An injured fan in carried to the field of Cuscatlan stadium in San Salvador, El Salvador, Saturday, May 20, 2023.
An injured fan is carried to the field of Cuscatlan stadium in San Salvador, El Salvador, on May 20, 2023.
AP

Soccer players attend a fan lying on the field of the Cuscatlan stadium in San Salvador, El Salvador, Saturday, May 20, 2023.
Soccer players attend a fan lying on the field of the Cuscatlan stadium in San Salvador, El Salvador, on May 20, 2023.
AP

Play was suspended about 16 minutes into the match when fans in the stands waving frantically began getting the attention of those on the field and carrying the injured out of a tunnel and down to the pitch.

Local television transmitted live images of the aftermath of the stampede by Alianza fans. Dozens made it onto the field where they received medical treatment.

Fans who escaped the crush stood on the field furiously waving shirts attempting to review people lying on the grass barely moving.


Soccer fans are assisted by others fans at the field of the Cuscatlan stadium in San Salvador, El Salvador, on May 20, 2023.
Soccer fans are assisted by others fans at the field of the Cuscatlan stadium in San Salvador, El Salvador, on May 20, 2023.
AP

Fans are seen rushing onto the field of Cuscatlan stadium in San Salvador, El Salvador, on May 20, 2023.
Fans are seen rushing onto the field of Cuscatlan stadium in San Salvador, El Salvador, on May 20, 2023.
AP

Pedro Hernández, president of El Salvador soccer’s first division, said the preliminary information he had was that the stampede occurred because fans managed to push through a gate into the stadium.

“It was an avalanche of fans who overran the gate. Some were still under the metal in the tunnel. Others managed to make it to the stands and then to the field and were smothered,” an unidentified volunteer with the Rescue Commandos first aid group told journalists.

National Civil Police Commissioner Mauricio Arriza Chicas, at the scene of the tragedy, said there would be a criminal investigation in conjunction with the Attorney General’s Office.

“We are going to investigate from the ticket sales, the entries into the stadium, but especially the southern zone,” where, he said, the gate was pushed open.

The Salvadoran Soccer Federation said in a statement that it regretted what had happened and voiced support for the victims’ families.

Source link

𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝘀, 𝗖𝗼𝗽𝘆𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 & 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘆: nypost.com
𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗠𝗖𝗔,
𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗮𝘁 dmca@enspirers.com

Similar Posts