Dozens Killed In Tragic Crush At Guinea Football Match.
Dozens of people have tragically lost their lives following a stampede at a football match in Guinea’s second-largest city, N’zérékoré, on Sunday. Local media reports indicate that the disaster occurred after clashes erupted between supporters of the two teams, leading to the deadly crush.
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Prime Minister Mamadou Oury Bah confirmed the incident, which he described as a “stampede”, and called for calm in the wake of the tragedy. A doctor at the local hospital, speaking anonymously, described the devastating scene: “There are bodies lined up as far as the eye can see in the hospital. Others are lying on the floor in the hallways. The morgue is full,” he said, highlighting the scale of the disaster.
Reports suggest that the incident was triggered by a controversial decision by the referee, leading to angry supporters of the visiting team, Labé, throwing stones onto the pitch. Police responded with tear gas, which only escalated the chaos. Witnesses described a scene of panic as fans flooded onto the pitch and chaos spread outside the stadium.
Videos and images circulating on social media show disturbing scenes of large crowds attempting to scale walls and numerous bodies lying on the ground, including some who appear to be children.
Authorities have confirmed that regional officials are working to restore order, with hospitals treating the injured. Thousands of spectators had gathered for the match, which was part of a tournament organised in honour of President Mamadi Doumbouya, who came to power following a coup in September 2021.
While no official casualty figures have been released, the tragedy has left the nation in mourning as investigations continue into the cause of the disaster.
