At least six dead in a stampede at the African Cup

At least six people have died in a stampede in front of the Ombelé stadium in Yaoundé, where the Cameroon-Comoros match corresponding to the round of 16 of the African Cup was played this afternoon, according to the AP news agency. Naseri Paul Biya, governor of the central region of Cameroon, said there could be more victims.

The stampede occurred as crowds tried to gain access to the venue in Cameroon’s capital. Officials at the nearby Messassi hospital said they had received at least 40 injuries from the stampede. “Some of the injured are in desperate condition,” said Olinga Prudence, a nurse. “We will have to evacuate them to a specialized hospital.”

Official sources assure that some 50,000 people had tried to attend the match. The stadium has a capacity of 60,000, but it was not intended to be full, but to hold 80% capacity due to restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic.

harsh images

In the images that circulate on social networks, you can see how a large group of fans tries to access the venue through a half-open metal door. Those who were able to cross it were saved, but many of those who remained behind ended up being crushed by the people who were pushing.

Among the injured there are several children, some of them were treated by first aid on the ground itself in the outskirts of the stadium. The signs of pain were immense among those who lived through the tragedy. However, the match was played normally and it was not until the end of it that the news was known. Some journalist involved was the one who raised the hare. Several of them were even hospitalized.

The African Confederation issued a note on the incident: “CAF is aware of the incident that took place at Olembe Stadium during the African Cup of Nations match between hosts Cameroon and Comoros tonight, January 24, 2022. CAF is currently investigating the situation and trying to obtain more details about what happened. We are in constant communication with the government of Cameroon and the Local Organizing Committee. Tonight, the CAF president, Dr. Patrice Motsepe, sent the general secretary, Veron Mosengo-Omba, to visit the fans at the Yaoundé hospital.”

What was meant to be a celebration of African football and host Cameroon turned into drama. It is not the first time that Africa has experienced an episode like this, although it had not happened for quite some time, much less in a final phase of the CAN. The capacity limitation and the desire to see a team that is succeeding ended up being a death trap for several fans.