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A stampede at Haiti’s Citadelle Laferrière mountaintop fortress, a landmark popular with tourists in the country’s north, killed at least 25 people and injured dozens, authorities said. Municipal officials in Cap-Haïtien said Saturday’s crush occurred in Milot during traditional festivities at the historical site, and that authorities later revised the death toll after investigation.
In a statement, Cap-Haïtien municipal authorities said the incident included “numerous cases of asphyxiation, trampling and loss of consciousness.” They said dozens of people who attended the festivities were taken to hospitals, while many others were reported missing.
The municipal statement attributed the stampede to severe overcrowding, linking it to “deficiencies in crowd management measures,” according to “preliminary information” cited by local authorities. The statement also described the incident’s impact on those present at the site and authorities’ efforts to account for the missing.
The Haitian National Police said it opened an investigation to determine the exact cause of the incident. The investigation led police to update the death toll to 25 fatalities, and autopsies were underway on Sunday.
Police said 30 people remained hospitalized and asked the population to continue cooperating with authorities and avoid spreading rumors, as families sought news about those affected. Some victims’ bodies remained at the Citadelle Laferrière site on Sunday, according to the report.
In the days following the incident, Donaldson Jean described the death of his sister, who he said had traveled to the fortress after studying for a school field trip for top-performing students. Jean said he carried her body, which was covered with a white tarp, and he quoted her study routine as part of their time together.
Haiti’s government offered its condolences to the families of victims of the incident at the Citadelle Laferrière, as investigators worked to determine what triggered the stampede and how officials can prevent similar tragedies.