People Injured in Fatal Essaouira Stampede in ‘Stable Condition,’ Medical Source Says

People injured in the stampede that occurred Sunday in the commune of Sidi Boulaalam near Essaouira are in “stable condition”, provincial health delegate, Khalid Sniter, said on Monday.

The injured people taken to Essaouira’s provincial hospital are in “stable condition”, he told reporters, adding that the wounded benefit from constant medical care which is provided by a medical staff that was mobilised for the occasion.

Patients, who will also benefit from post-hospitalization care, may leave the hospital as of Tuesday following the improvement of their health conditions, he added.

The two injured people who were transferred by helicopters to the Mohammed VI University Hospital Center are undergoing medical checkups and are in stable condition according to medical reports, he pointed out.

On this occasion, the Wali of the Marrakech-Safi region, Abdelfettah Lebjioui, accompanied by the governor of the province of Essaouira, Jamal Makhtatar, visited on Monday the morgue of Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah Hospital to oversee the transfer of the dead to their localities before being finally laid to rest.

Fifteen people were killed and 5 others were injured in a stampede which happened Sunday during the distribution of foodstuffs by a local association in the commune of Sidi Boulalam in the province of Essaouira.

Following the incident, King Mohammed VI gave his high instructions to the competent authorities to take all measures to provide the necessary support and assistance to the families of the victims and the injured.

The Sovereign also decided to personally pay for the expenses of the burial and funeral of the victims, as well as for the costs of the wounded’s hospitalization.

An investigation is underway to determine the causes of the incident and to establish responsibilities, said the interior ministry, which has also opened an administrative enquiry.