Love Parade crush death toll hits 19

Nineteen people died and 342 were injured in a panicked crush of partygoers in an overcrowded tunnel that served as the sole entrance to a German festival billed as the world's largest techno music party.

German leaders, including Chancellor Angela Merkel, voiced shock that an event meant to celebrate youth, peace and love could turn so deadly.

"The young people came to celebrate and instead there are dead and injured," Mrs Merkel said.

This year's organiser of the Love Parade said the event – which has been held for two decades – would never be held again. Rainer Schaller said it would forever be overshadowed by the tragedy.

He spoke at a press conference where authorities faced tough questions, but provided few details, about why up to hundreds of thousands of people were funnelled through a single highway underpass on to the grounds of former freight railway station used to host the party.

Rainer Wendt, leader of a major German police union, said his group warned a year ago in vain that the town of Duisburg was an unacceptable location for the Love Parade.

Detlef von Schmeling, the police chief in Duisburg, said 16 of the 19 people killed have been identified so far.