One killed, dozens left injured after stage collapses at Medusa Festival

One person died and dozens more were left injured after the main stage at Spain’s Medusa Festival in Valencia collapsed due to unexpected strong winds. Gusts exceeding 82kph caused part of the main stage structure to fall early on Saturday morning, while other festival infrastructure was also damaged. Festival organisers promptly evacuated the entire site, and cancelled the remainder of the festival. According to Reuters, 32 people in total were taken to hospital for injuries. Of those injured, three suffered major trauma while 14 experienced minor injuries. 

Medusa is a major electronic music festival held over six days in the coastal town of Cullera, near Valencia in Spain. The lineup at this year’s festival included headliners such as David Guetta, Steve Aoiki, Amelie Lens, and Carl Cox. Festival organisers released a statement on Facebook after the incident. “We are completely devastated and dismayed at what happened last morning. The management of Medusa Festival would like to express our deep and sincere condolences to the family and friends affected by the fatal consequences that occurred last night,” they wrote. “It is a day of mourning and respect for those affected. And they will have us for everything they need. His unbearable suffering we also make ours.”

Spain’s national weather agency AEMET noted that there was a sudden rise in temperature and emergence of “strong gusts of wind” on Saturday night, recorded at Alicante airport in the Valencia region. Watch footage of the winds on site at Medusa from The Telegraph below.