Horror as falling tree kills 12 at Madeira religious festival
AT least one child was among 12 people who died yesterday after a tree toppled on crowds at a religious festival in Madeira.
Some 52 others were injured when the 200-year-old oak crashed on to holidaymakers and worshippers buying candles to take part in a street procession.
Video footage showed locals and tourists screaming as they ran for safety while a cloud of dust and debris filled the air.
Others ran in terror towards loved ones who were near the spot where the ancient tree came down.
Last night it emerged four of the 12 dead were foreign visitors to the Portuguese island, which is popular with many British holidaymakers. They were said to include a German, Hungarian and French nationals. The nationality of the fourth victim is not yet known.
The tragedy happened at noon at an international festival called the Festa da Senhora do Monte – Our Lady of the Mountain – which attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world to footballer Cristiano Ronaldo’s native island.
The Catholic festival celebrates the Assumption – the entry of the Virgin Mary into heaven.
Most of the casualties were said to be buying candles before the procession outside a church in the village of Monte, which overlooks the island’s capital Funchal.
Last night it was reported that seven of the wounded had serious head injuries. Ten victims died at the scene and another two – a child and a woman – were declared dead on arrival at hospital.
An investigation has already been launched after it emerged the oak had a steel cable round it to help stabilise other trees in the area. It was reportedly identified as a risk to both people and property three years ago.
Council leaders were said to have been asked by the courts to cut down two other trees including the oak at the centre of the tragedy but nothing was done.
Portuguese president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who visited the scene of devastating forest fires which killed more than 60 people in June, was due to fly to Madeira yesterday.
The tragedy happened less than a fortnight after two people including an eight-year-old girl were killed on a beach near Lisbon when a plane crash-landed.