Four members of Venezuelan band Van Der Dijs killed in 24 June earthquakes

All four members of Venezuelan nu-metal band Van Der Dijs died when the Costamar II building in the coastal state of La Guaira collapsed during earthquakes on 24 June. The band was rehearsing inside the building at the time. Rescue teams later recovered the bodies of vocalist Manuel van Der Dijs, guitarist Gabriel Gómez, bassist Xander Hernández and drummer Abraham Foucault from the rubble.

Band background Van Der Dijs formed in 2024 and released its first single, "Nemesis," the same year. The group issued additional singles, most recently "15 Minutos" one month before the earthquakes. The band played a sold-out show at the Centro de Arte Moderno in Caracas on 19 June and had upcoming dates scheduled.

Earthquake impact The earthquakes registered magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 and caused widespread destruction across Venezuela. More than 2,290 people have been confirmed dead, with thousands injured and many still missing. Hospitals are overwhelmed and rescue teams continue to search collapsed buildings. La Guaira remains among the areas most affected by the disaster.