Australia’s foreign ministry has confirmed that an unnamed 27-year-old woman from New South Wales is among the dead following disastrous German open-air festival Love Parade, held on Saturday 24 July in Duisburg. The death toll has now also grown to 19 as further details about the tragic day begin to emerge.

Many are pointing the finger of responsibility at the event’s organiser, saying their decision to have only one entrance for the estimated crown of 1.4 million people proved catastrophic. “The organisers showed not the slightest responsibility for people,” says Love Parade’s founder Dr Motte, who is no longer involved with the event. “One single entrance through a tunnel lends itself to disaster. I am very sad.”

Duisburg’s mayor Adolf Sauerland, however, has been quick to defend security at the festival. “In the run-up to the event, we worked out a solid security plan with the organisers and everyone involved,” he said. “The investigations that have already been launched must uncover the precise course of events.”

According to a timeline of events posted by German news website DW-World.de access to the festival was closed off at 4.50pm, with 500,000 people estimated to be left waiting outside. Between 5pm and 5.15pm a stampede in the tunnel caused chaos as many were crushed either inside or injured while attempting to escape over a nearby fence.

It wasn’t until 7pm that the festival began to empty, and organisers have again been criticised for allowing the party to continue for up to two hours following the turmoil. By 11pm the initial death toll of 15 had grown to 18, and then at 3.30am on Sunday morning it was announced a 19th victim had died, with the total number of injured is 342.

Photo: Associated Press