Share

Two children among five dead in Angola football stampede

Two children and three adults were killed in a stampede at a weekend football match in the Angolan capital Luanda, sparking an investigation, authorities said on Monday.

The crush occurred on Saturday as fans were leaving the CAF Champions League quarter-final match between Primeiro Agosto of Angola and TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the sports ministry said.

The incident "caused the death by asphyxiation of five supporters and caused seven injuries at the end of the match," the ministry said in a statement.

The two children were aged 10 and 12, it said.

One survivor who gave his name only as Nemo, speaking to TV channel Zimbo from his hospital bed, said: "The exit door was very small, many people fell."

The history of African football is marked by frequent deadly crowd stampedes. In Angola in February 2017, 17 people were killed and 58 injured near the northern town of Uige ahead of a season-opening match for the national championship.

Earlier this month, at least one person was killed and 37 injured in a stampede ahead of an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Madagascar's capital Antananarivo.

And in July last year, eight people were killed when rival supporters clashed during Senegal's League Cup final, and a stampede caused a wall to fall on escaping fans.

The scramble came after police used tear gas to clear the area surrounding the stadium.

In 2009, 19 people died in the Ivorian economic capital Abidjan after a crush in a qualifying match for the 2010 World Cup between Ivory Coast and Malawi.

* Sign up to News24's top Africa news in your inbox: SUBSCRIBE TO THE HELLO AFRICA NEWSLETTER

FOLLOW News24 Africa on Twitter and Facebook

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Can radio hosts and media personalities be apolitical?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes, impartiality is key for public trust
33% - 347 votes
No, let's be real, we all have inherent biases
67% - 720 votes
Vote
Rand - Dollar
19.17
-0.1%
Rand - Pound
23.87
-0.2%
Rand - Euro
20.45
-0.3%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.31
-0.1%
Rand - Yen
0.12
-0.1%
Platinum
936.70
-1.4%
Palladium
1,009.50
-1.9%
Gold
2,380.70
+0.1%
Silver
28.30
+0.2%
Brent Crude
87.11
-0.2%
Top 40
67,016
-0.3%
All Share
73,070
-0.3%
Resource 10
63,105
-0.3%
Industrial 25
98,239
-0.2%
Financial 15
15,430
-0.3%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE