A mass panic broke out at a soccer game in El Salvador. At least twelve people died and dozens were injured, some of them life-threatening. The reason was probably an oversale of tickets.
At least 12 people died in a mass panic at a football stadium near the capital of El Salvador. In addition, around 100 people were taken to various hospitals in serious condition, said the director of civil protection in the Central American country, Luis Alonso Amaya.
“An Avalanche of Fans”
At a first-division game at the Cuscatlán stadium, about 40 kilometers northeast of San Salvador, police said there was a mass panic because of the oversale of tickets. Around 500 people tried to get into the stadium. “It was an avalanche of fans running over the goal,” said one volunteer.
In order to facilitate the work of the rescue workers, the game between FC Alianza and CD FAS was canceled. Injured people were carried onto the field from a tunnel. The civil defense is on site to help those affected, said Interior Minister Juan Carlos Bidegain. Hundreds of soldiers and police officers were also sent to the stadium.
police and Public prosecutor determine
National Police Commissioner General Mauricio Arriaza Chicas said the case would be investigated. The focus is on the processes at the ticket sales counter. El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele wrote on Twitter that those responsible would be punished: “Everyone will be investigated: teams, managers, stadium, box office, league, association.”
The national football association Fesfut said it deeply regrets what happened at the stadium. He expressed his solidarity with the families of those affected and those killed and announced support. “Fesfut will request a report on the events and will provide the relevant information as soon as possible,” the statement said.