At least 30 people were killed, and several dozen others were injured in a stampede at a historic fortress in Haiti during an Easter gathering, officials said, with authorities warning the death toll could rise as rescue efforts continue.
The incident occurred Saturday at the Citadelle Henri, also known as Citadelle Laferrière, a 19th-century mountaintop fortress in the northern town of Milot and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Officials said the crowd surge took place during a tourist event that drew large numbers of young people, leading to a chaotic crush near a single entrance, where reports indicate confusion and a struggle to enter and exit may have triggered the stampede.
Emergency teams have been deployed to treat the injured and search for missing people, while the site has been closed to visitors until further notice. Authorities have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy, and government officials have urged calm as they coordinate response efforts and support for affected families.
The fortress, built by revolutionary leader Henri Christophe after Haiti’s independence from France, is regarded as a powerful symbol of Haitian sovereignty and draws visitors from across the country and abroad.
