Mass panic in a football stadium: at least nine dead

At least nine people have died in a mass panic at a soccer stadium in El Salvador.

21 May 2023

From: dpa

In addition, several injured fans were taken to hospitals near the Cuscatlán stadium in the capital San Salvador, the Central American country's police announced on Saturday. At least two of the injured were said to be in mortal danger.

The El Salvador newspaper “La Prensa Gráfica” described the panicked crowd on the sidelines of the first division game between FC Alianza and CD FAS as a “human avalanche” that led to the deaths of nine fans. The game was canceled to make the work of the rescue workers easier. According to initial information from the police, the panic occurred when fans tried to get into the stadium.

Civil Defense Director Amaya said: "It all started in the Sol General sector, where there was a mass panic affecting 500 people due to the oversale of tickets."