Roof fall in Santo Domingo: 184 dead at Rubby Pérez concert!

Roof fall in Santo Domingo: 184 dead at Rubby Pérez concert!

On April 10, 2025, a tragic accident occurred at the “Jet Set” discotheque in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. During a concert by merengue star Rubby Pérez, the venue's roof collapsed, resulting in a massive tragedy. Current reports from vienna.at confirm that rescue workers have now stopped searching for survivors. This decision was made after all reasonable options for finding buried victims had been exhausted.

According to official figures, there were at least 184 fatalities and the number of injured people is over 500. Tragically, Rubby Pérez and two former professional US Major League Baseball players were also among the victims. The nationality of the deceased is initially unclear, but at least one US citizen is reported to be among the dead.

Search operation ends in tragic circumstances

The exact circumstances at the time of the accident remain vague, but the number of visitors to the discotheque is estimated to be between 500 and 1,000 guests. Over 300 rescue workers were involved in the intensive search and rescue efforts, which were unsuccessful. There is widespread consternation over the incident and raises questions about the safety of such venues.

The Dominican Republic is not only known for its beautiful beaches, but also as a popular tourist destination. According to the Dominican Ministry of Tourism, over 11 million travelers visited the country in 2024, underscoring the great importance of tourism to the national economy. Loud countrydata.info Punta Cana is the most visited city in the country and ranked 95th on the list of the world's most popular cities in 2024.

Sustainable impacts for tourism

The economic impact of the tragedy could also have noticeable consequences for domestic tourism. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Dominican Republic was heavily dependent on tourism revenue, which amounted to around 6.67 billion euros in 2019. The decline in tourism revenue during the pandemic was dramatic, causing sales to fall to 2.34 billion euros.

Each tourist entering the country spends an average of around 1,114 euros, which underlines the economic importance of tourists. Now it remains to be seen how this tragic accident will affect the country's appeal to international travelers.