Features
Spain’s Medusa Festival Suspended After Stage Collapse Kills Visitor
Strong winds caused the entrance and main stage of Medusa Festival in Valencia, Spain, to partially collapse, killing one and injuring dozens.
The festival was scheduled Aug. 10-15, featuring some of the biggest names in electronic music. When unexpectedly strong winds with speeds of more than 80 km/h hit the festival site on Saturday, parts of the main stage gave way.
According to local press, one 22-year old man was killed, dozens more were injured. Valencia’s interior minister Gabriela Bravo told press in the aftermath of the tragedy that strong winds had been predicted to hit the country’s interior, but not the coast, where Medusa Festival takes place on Cullera beach.
The winds hit the festival site at around 4 a.m. in the early morning hours of Saturday. The site was immediately evacuated by the festival’s security personnel. Shortly after, organizers informed the public that the remainder of the festival would be suspended.
The relevant authorities in Valencia have reportedly launched an investigation into the matter, to find out if there was any negligence that led to the tragedy unfolding.