El Salvador game abandoned after stadium crush kills at least 12
In a tragic incident that saw a crush in a football stadium in El Salvador, at least twelve people have died, as per officials as reported by the BBC.
The unfortunate incident occurred on Saturday during the second-leg quarter-final playoff that featured local team Alianza and Club Deportivo Fas at the Cuscatlan Stadium in San Salvador.
The match was subsequently suspended after a stampede broke out.
El Salvador stadium disaster suspected causes
The disaster occurred when a large number of fans tried to enter the stadium after the gates were closed.
Officials believe that several fans might have sold fake tickets and an investigation will soon be underway. Local media shared footage that shows fans attempting to pull down barricades at the stadium’s entrance.
Seven men and two men are among those who are dead and over a dozen fans have been injured.
The injured have been transferred to local hospitals where they are being treated. Around 90 people, including minors, are believed to have sustained injuries and multiple trauma but are now in stable condition.
El Salvador government announce investigations
President Nayib Bukele has said that an exhaustive investigation on the incident would be carried out by the national police and the attorney general’s office.
Bukele tweeted, “Everyone will be investigated: teams, managers, stadium, ticket office, league, federation, etc. Whoever the culprits are, they will not go unpunished.”
A video from the venue has shown that after the match was suspended, injured people were carried away in stretchers.
The Salvadoran Soccer Federation has suspended all national-level matches on Sunday and also regretted the incident, voicing support for the victims and their families.
Health Minister Francisco Alabi also tweeted that the government had deployed ambulances from nearby hospitals to the stadium to treat the injured. Moreover, he has also urged the public to evacuate the area, to make it easier for the medical teams to carry out care.
Photo credit: IMAGO / ZUMA Wire