A football game ended tragically in El Salvador, when there was a stampede that claimed at least 12 lives.
The tragic event took place during a Salvadoran Primera División quarter-final game between Alianza FC and Club Deportivio FAS, 250 kilometers northeast of the capital city of San Salvador.
Sixteen minutes into the game, a stampede broke out in front of the stadium’s 44,000 spectators.
Over 500 people were treated by authorities at the Cuscatlán Stadium, and over 100 spectators were taken to hospital, according to Fox Sports.
Hundreds of injured spectators were being carried out of the tunnels and onto the field while in the midst of the commotion, according to live footage shown on local media.
‘Exhaustive inquiry’ of the incident is required, according to El Salvador’s president Nayib Bukele, and it will be done out by the National Police.
The tragedy attracted global attention and sympathy from football clubs, including Real Madrid, who tweeted after the news broke.
El Real Madrid C. F., su presidente y su Junta Directiva quieren expresar sus condolencias y su cariño a los familiares y seres queridos de los aficionados fallecidos en el estadio Cuscatlán de El Salvador, y el deseo de una pronta recuperación de los afectados por esta tragedia.
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) May 21, 2023
The Estadio Cuscatlán is one of the largest stadiums in Central America, and it has an official capacity of more than 44,000 fans.
But, footage posted online showed severe overcrowding outside an entry gate, with officials claiming they would investigate reports of fake match tickets being sold.
