Eight killed and hundreds injured after crowd surge at Astroworld Festival in Texas
November 6, 2021, 7:03 am

Eight killed and hundreds injured after crowd surge at Astroworld Festival in Texas

Representative image-Music festival/Pixabay

The Daily Mail reported according to American officials, eight people are dead and 'hundreds' more injured during a crush and stampede on the opening night of rapper Travis Scott's sold-out Astroworld Festival in Texas on Friday night.

Houston Fire Chief Samuel Pena told reporters the compression of the crowd toward the stage occurred while Scott was performing at the third annual music festival at NRG Park in Houston.

About two dozen people were rushed to hospitals, and CPR was being performed on at least 11 of them when they were taken, officials confirmed. Those injured are said to include children 'as young as 10'.

Harrowing footage on social media shows a distressing scene as paramedics perform CPR on several people on the floor within the crowd as a performance continues on the stage in Houston.

The show was called off shortly after several people began suffering injuries, and the second day of the event has been cancelled.

It remains unclear what caused the injuries and how many people were injured as of early Saturday morning, but authorities told FOX 26 that a lot of people are in need of medical attention on the scene.

They said they are classifying it as a 'level 2' incident due to the number of calls they are receiving.

The Houston Fire Department earlier said in a tweet that it was on scene near NRG park after receiving reports of multiple civilian injuries.

'We had at least eight confirmed fatalities tonight and scores of individuals that were injured,' Mr Pena said, adding the cause of death was unknown following a mass casualty event.

Astroworld is rapper Travis Scott's music festival and is being attended by a host of celebrities, including Kylie Jenner and Kendall Jenner.

Tickets sold for $180 for general admission and $490 for 'stargazer' tickets.

The event's 100,000 tickets sold out within an hour of going on sale back in May, ABC 13 reported, after it was canceled during the pandemic last year.

Multiple fans were trampled as hundreds rushed the event's perimeter on Friday afternoon. Once inside, people began climbing onto portable loos as security tried and contain the crowd.

An ABC News reporter from Houston's local affiliate, Mycah Hatfield, had reported via Twitter that chaos ensued during day one of the festival as soon as doors opened at 2 p.m.

'A stampede burst through the gates. Hundreds of people destroyed the VIP security entrance, bypassing the checkpoint. People were trampled. Some were detained,' she wrote of the scene at NRG Park.

One person who was detained by security told ABC13: 'I just really wanted to be inside the festival so bad.'

Source: dailymail

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.