A deadly stampede broke out during an annual event to celebrate Citadelle Laferriere, a UNESCO-listed fort that is a symbol of Haiti's hard-won independence.
https://p.dw.com/p/5C2zdCitadelle Laferriere, built in 1820, is a popular tourist attaction in the north of HaitiImage: Michael Runkel/robertharding/picture allianceAdvertisementAt least 30 people were killed and dozes more were hospitalized after a stampede at a historical fortress in Haiti on Saturday.
The stampede occurred at Citadelle Laferriere during "a tourist activity bringing together many young people," the government said on social media.
An annual event was being held on Saturday to celebrate the UNESCO World Heritage site built in the 19th-century, shortly after Haiti won its independence from France.
"The injured are currently receiving the necessary medical care, and a rescue team is searching for any missing persons," Culture Minister Emmanuel Menard told the AFP news agency.
Local officials fear the death toll could rise due to the number of people reported missing.
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In a statement, Haiti's Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime extended his "sincere condolences to the bereaved families and assures them of his profound solidarity during this time of mourning and great suffering."
"All competent authorities are fully mobilized and placed on maximum alert to provide, without delay, the necessary assistance, care and support," the statement continued.
The deadly stampede comes as Haiti deals with a wave of gang violence that has shut down much of the country.
Citadelle Laferriere is a popular tourist attraction close to the northern port of Cap-Haitien, which currently serves as Haiti's main gateway to the outside world due to instability in the capital, Port-au-Prince.
The fort is a symbol of enslaved Haitians' hard-won independence, when the enslaved population revolted against their oppressors and declared independence in 1804. The citadel was built in 1820 to defend against an anticipated French invasion which never came.
