All members of Venezuelan metal band confirmed dead in earthquakes
All four members of Venezuelan nu-metal band Van Der Dijs have died following the devastating earthquakes that struck the country on 24 June.
According to Venezuelan outlet Últimas Noticias, vocalist Manuel van Der Dijs, guitarist Gabriel Gómez, bassist Xander Hernández and drummer Abraham Foucault were killed after the Costamar II building where they were rehearsing in the coastal state of La Guaira collapsed.
La Guaira has been among the areas worst affected by the disaster. Their bodies were later recovered from the rubble by rescue teams.
Van Der Dijs were an emerging nu-metal band in Venezuela’s rock scene. They formed in 2024 and released their first single, 'Nemesis', later the same year. They released more singles, the latest being this year’s '15 Minutos' – released just one month ago.
They had played a sold-out show at the Centro de Arte Moderno in La Castellana, Caracas, on 19 June, and their official Instagram page was promoting upcoming dates around the country.
The earthquakes that hit Venezuela registered magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 and caused widespread destruction across the country. They have left Venezuela facing a major humanitarian crisis. Hospitals are overwhelmed and rescue teams are continuing to search through collapsed buildings.
More than 2,290 people have been confirmed dead, with thousands more injured and many still missing.