At least 30 people are feared dead following a stampede at a popular tourist site in Haiti on Saturday. The tragedy unfolded during an annual Easter event at the Laferrière Citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with officials cautioning that the death toll could rise. In Milot, the northern town hosting the event, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé said it occurred during a tourist gathering attended by many young people and announced that an investigation has begun and that all relevant authorities have been mobilized to assist those affected. The government offered its sincere condolences to the families of the deceased.
Local media reported that the site was crowded with students and visitors in the wake of the event, which celebrated the fortress’s founding and had been promoted on social media. The stampede began near the entrance and was aggravated by heavy rain. Le Nouvelliste, Haiti’s oldest daily, first quoted Petit on the casualty figures, though the government statement did not specify the number of deaths.
Citadelle Laferrière, also known as Citadelle Henry, was constructed by revolutionary Henri Christophe shortly after Haiti gained independence from France. The fortress took more than a decade to build and formed a key component of a defense system designed to shield the young Caribbean nation from invasions. Today the site stands as a symbol of Haitian independence. The tragedy comes amid Haiti’s broader struggle with rampant gang violence, which has claimed thousands of lives.
