Tragedy Strikes El Salvador: At Least Nine Killed and Over 500 Injured in Soccer Match Stampede

At least nine people were killed and over 500 injured in a stampede at a soccer match in El Salvador on Saturday. The incident occurred at the Monumental stadium in Cuscatlan, 25 miles northeast of the capital, during a quarterfinal match between Alianza and FAS.

According to the National Civil Police, seven men and two women were confirmed dead, and over 100 people were transported to hospitals, some of them in critical condition. The police also reported that the stampede was caused when soccer fans pushed through one of the access gates.

The Salvadoran Ministry of Health said that they attended to more than 500 people in total, and that they had deployed medical personnel to the stadium to provide medical assistance. They also said that they had set up a crisis center to provide psychological support to those affected by the tragedy.

The Salvadoran government has launched an investigation into the incident and has promised to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of soccer fans. The government has also declared three days of national mourning in honor of the victims.