2024 Nzérékoré stampede
| Date | 1 December 2024 |
|---|---|
| Location |  Nzérékoré, Guinea |
| Cause | Tear gas launched by police amid fight between rival football fans |
| Deaths | 56 (official) 135 (reported)[1] |
| Non-fatal injuries | Unknown |
On 1 December 2024, a stampede and crowd crush occured at the Stade du 3 Avril, a football stadium in the Guinean city of Nzérékoré, resulting in at least 56 deaths.[2] Civil society groups said at least 135 people died, most of them children.[1]
Background
[edit]The Stade du 3 Avril, the only stadium in Nzérékoré Prefecture, has been in poor quality for multiple years. Renovation work started on the stadium in 2008, but was later halted, in part due to political instability. The stadium was reported to have a muddy field, half-finished roof, unfinished stands, and unbuilt bathroom facilities and ticket offices.[3][4][5] Although athletes continued to train and play in the stadium, the structure was also reported to be used by local drug users.[5]
Local authorities had been trying for years to secure funding to improve the structure.[4]
Events
[edit]On 1 December 2024, a football match between Nzérékoré and Labe[6] was held at the Stade du 3 Avril[7] as part of a tournament organised in honour of the country's president, Mamady Doumbouya. The tournament had been criticised by opposition groups as an attempt to advance Doumbouya’s “illegal and inappropriate candidacy” in upcoming presidential elections.[2] Between 20,000 and 30,000 spectators were in attendance,[8] which was "much larger than the stadium's capacity".[9]
In the 82nd minute of the match, a referee gave a red card to a member of the Nzérékoré team, leading to a penalty.[7] Fans of the visiting team, Labe, swarmed the field in protest of the referee's decision and threw stones.[7] According to local media, security personnel then used tear gas in an attempt to disperse the crowd.[7][8][10] Spectators began to flee the stadium, heading to the structure's two exits.[11] This led to a stampede and a crowd crush in and around the gates to the stadium, where many of the casualties occured.[7][8] Other spectators scaled the stadium walls to escape, with some deaths being reported from falls.[11] Children were reportedly among those killed.[8]
The dead and injured were brought to the Nzérékoré regional hospital, where doctors were reportedly overwhelmed.[11] Soldiers were posted at the hospital to discourage family members of the victims from swarming the facilities.[8][11] Due to overcrowding, some families opted to have victims moved to private clinics.[11]
As of 3 December 56 deaths have been confirmed by the government. A collective of civil society groups said at least 135 people were killed, citing information from hospitals, witnesses and relatives.[1]
Aftermath
[edit]Following the incident, demonstrators set fire to the police station of Nzérékoré.[2] Internet access to the region was restricted.[11]
On 2 December, a number of people moved to leave the city for the towns and villages surrounding Nzérékoré.[12] Checkpoints were set up throughout the city and most stores were closed.[8][12] Many schools were closed, or teachers did not come to work.[12] Churches and mosques remained open.[12]
Schools and shops were again closed on 3 December.[11] According to local journalists, at least 25 burials of victims had occurred by 3 December.[11]
The Guinean Football Federation[6] and the Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) sent condolences to the victims' families.[13]
Government response
[edit]Prime minister Bah Oury announced an investigation into the disaster and expressed condolences to families of the victims. The opposition National Alliance for Change and Democracy attributed "significant responsibility for these grave events" to authorities.[6]
On the evening of 2 December, a government delegation visited the city and met with some of the victims' families.[11][9]
Three days of mourning are to be held, beginning on 3 December.[8]
See also
[edit]
- List of human stampedes and crushes:
- Hillsborough disaster – a similar disaster at a football game in the United Kingdom in 1989 due to police failings rather than supporters' behavior.
- Port Said Stadium riot – a similar disaster in Egypt in 2012 that involved the use of tear gas toward rioting supporters.
- Kanjuruhan Stadium disaster – a similiar disaster in Indonesia in which rioting football fans were tear gassed by police.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Civil Society Groups Say More Than 56 Dead In Guinea Stadium Crush". Agence France-Presse. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ a b c "Dozens dead after stampede breaks out at Guinea football match". Al Jazeera. 2 December 2024.
- ^ "N'Zérékoré : Les travaux de reconstruction du stade arrêtés, les autorités tirent sur la sonnette d'alarme. !" [N’Zérékoré: Stadium reconstruction work stopped, authorities sound the alarm. !]. Guineefoot (in French). 29 April 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ a b Diallo, Pathé (11 October 2023). "Stade du 3 avril de Nzérékoré : le directeur préfectoral tire la sonnette d'alarme" [Stade Du 3 Avril De Nzérékoré: The Prefectural Director Sounds The Alarm.]. PLANETE 7 (in French). Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ a b "N'zérékoré : le stade du 3 avril et la maison des jeunes, dans un état de délabrement très avancé" [N’zérékoré: the April 3 stadium and the youth center, in a very advanced state of disrepair]. Lolaplus. 4 July 2020. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ a b c "Dozens killed in crush at Guinea football match". BBC. 2 December 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Egbejule, Eromo (2 December 2024). "At least 56 people killed in crush at Guinea football stadium". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Panic among spectators at soccer game kills at least 56 in the West African nation of Guinea". AP News. 2 December 2024. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ a b "Guinée: trois jours de deuil national après le drame de N'Zérékoré et l'ouverture d'une enquête" [Guinea: Three days of national mourning after the N'Zérékoré tragedy and the opening of an investigation]. RFI (in French). 3 December 2024. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ Maroosha, Muzaffar (2 December 2024). "Dozens crushed to death in stampede at Guinea football match as pitch invasion ends in tragedy". The Independent. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Bousculade meurtrière au stade de Nzérékoré en Guinée : "Au moins 25 corps ont déjà été inhumés"" [Deadly stampede at Nzérékoré stadium: "The eldest fell on his little brother's neck, he died"]. BBC News Afrique (in French). 2 December 2024. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ a b c d Diallo, Mamadou Yaya (2 December 2024). "Lendemain du drame au stade du 3 avril de N'Zérékoré : notre constat dans la ville" [Aftermath of the tragedy at the April 3 stadium in N'Zérékoré: our findings in the city]. Guinee Matin (in French). Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ Nwoke, Chidi (3 December 2024). "CAF Sends Condolences To Victims Of Guinea Stadium Tragedy". Voice of Nigeria. Retrieved 3 December 2024.