Following the collapse of a nightclub roof, which killed more than 200 people, Dominican authorities have ended their rescue operation and switched their attention to recovery activities.
The horrific tragedy at the Jet Set nightclub in the early hours of Tuesday morning sent shockwaves across the country, prompting the declaration of three days of mourning.
The retrieval of bodies from the collapsed structure accelerated overnight Wednesday into Thursday as civil protection workers removed a significant chunk of debris, according to an engineer with the Dominican Republic Civil Protection workers.
The majority of the bodies recovered overnight were female and are still being identified.
An official statement from the country’s Emergency Centre Operations said that “all reasonable possibilities of finding more survivors” had been exhausted, and the focus of the operation is now on recovering bodies.
“In the last days, rescue teams have worked uninterrupted to remove debris, helping the wounded and rescuing people alive,” the statement posted on X said.
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It continues, “However, having exhausted any reasonable possibility of finding more survivors, the operation is now in a different phase, nonetheless sensitive and crucial: the recovery of human bodies with due respect and the dignity that every victim deserves.”
Hundreds of rescue workers had spent two days combing through the remains of the nightclub after its roof collapsed around 1 a.m. on Tuesday.
The death toll from the incident rose to 218 on Thursday, out of which 189 people had been rescued alive from the rubble. The previous death toll was put at 184.
The cause of the disaster is currently undetermined. The nightclub was built more than 50 years ago, according to local media reports, and has the capacity to hold up to 500 people.
Health Minister Victor Atallah said most of the trauma injuries suffered by those killed were blows to the head.
The Jet Set nightclub is one of the Caribbean nation’s most famous venues and its Monday night events are especially well attended.
The nightclub is considered more upscale, attracting high-profile party-goers.
Two former Major League Baseball players were in attendance at the venue when the collapse happened, and are among those confirmed dead
Dominican President Luis Abinader declared three days of mourning following the disaster.
