Thousands attend public funeral in Haiti for 17 who died in Carnival accident

Members of the government and families attend a funeral held for the 17 victims who died in an accident involving a Carnival float, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2015. The accident occurred early Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2015 when a singer aboard one of 16 Carnival floats touched a power line and caused the crowd to panic, resulting in a stampede. ( AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) (The Associated Press)

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A police officer stand amid the coffins containing the remains of the 17 victims who died in an accident involving a Carnival float, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2015. The accident occurred early Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2015 when a singer aboard one of 16 Carnival floats touched a power line and caused the crowd to panic, resulting in a stampede. ( AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) (The Associated Press)

A woman cries as she attends the funeral held for the 17 victims who died in an accident involving a Carnival float, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2015. The accident occurred early Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2015 when a singer aboard one of 16 Carnival floats touched a power line and caused the crowd to panic, resulting in a stampede. ( AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) (The Associated Press)

Thousands of people in Haiti's capital are attending a public funeral for 17 people who died in an accident involving a Carnival float.

Many mourners were wearing white T-shirts with a phrase in Creole that read, "In good times, in bad times, we're all Haitians."

President Michel Martelly and Prime Minister Evans Paul arrived Saturday morning and greeted the relatives of victims who lay in white caskets draped with the Haitian flag.

The accident occurred early Tuesday when a singer aboard a Carnival float touched a power line that caused the crowd to panic, resulting in a stampede. Dozens of others were injured.

The government-sponsored funeral was being held in the Champ de Mars park in Port-au-Prince.

https://www.foxnews.com/world/thousands-attend-public-funeral-in-haiti-for-17-who-died-in-carnival-accident