Falling tree kills 13, injures dozens more at Catholic festival on Portuguese Island of Madeira

An oak tree topples into a crowd of worshippers during Madeira’s biggest annual Roman Catholic festival killing 13 and injuring a further 49.

The accident happened during Madeira’s biggest annual Roman Catholic festival, which draws big crowds to celebrate the island’s patron saint, Our Lady of the Mount.

Worshippers were struck by the falling tree near a shrine in a park in the hills above Madeira’s capital Funchal as they prepared for a procession.

Pedro Ramos, health secretary of the local government of Madeira, said 10 people had died on the spot and a further three when they arrived in hospital.

He said some of the injured were foreign tourists, including from Germany and France.

Source: Falling tree kills 13, injures dozens more at Catholic festival on Portuguese Island of Madeira – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)