Stampede kills at least 30 in Haiti historical fortress: authorities
A stampede at an historical fortress in Haiti has killed at least 30 people, a government minister told AFP on Sunday, with the crush reportedly involving several young visitors.
“The Minister of Culture and Communication has confirmed the deaths of 30 people at the Citadelle Henri on Saturday, April 11, 2026,” culture minister Emmanuel Menard told AFP in a written message.
“The injured are currently receiving the necessary medical care, and a rescue team is searching for any missing persons,” Menard said, without giving an exact figure of those injured.
Citadelle Henri, also known as Citadelle Laferriere, is a 19th-century fortress and popular tourist spot.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site was closed to visitors “until further notice,” Menard said.
Haiti’s prime minister’s office expressed “deep sadness” in a government statement posted on Facebook, adding that the crush occurred during “a tourist activity bringing together many young people.”
Jean Henry Petit, head of the civil protection office in Northern Haiti, told local newspaper Le Nouvelliste that the toll could rise due to the large number of people reported missing.
Several dozen people were also injured and taken to hospital, the outlet reported.
Initial reports said visitors, mostly young people, were crammed against a single entrance and a scuffle broke out between those trying to leave and enter the site.
Other local media reports said the gathering took place after being advertised on TikTok.
AFP was not able to immediately confirm the reports.
The government urged citizens to “be calm and cautious” while it investigates.
“All competent authorities are fully mobilized and placed on maximum alert to provide, without delay, the necessary assistance, care and support,” it added in its statement.
