Six people were reported to have been killed with dozens hurt in a crush outside a stadium hosting an AFCON (Africa Cup of Nations) match in Cameroon. Another report said that a number of children had lost consciousness.
Video footage showed football fans struggling to get access to the Paul Biya stadium in a neighbourhood of the capital Yaounde.
According to reports, around 50,000 people were looking to attend Olembe Stadium to watch Cameroon’s last-16 Africa Cup of Nations match against Comoros.
The 60,000-seater ground was running at 80% capacity due to Covid-19. Match officials were quoted as saying that some 50,000 people were trying to attend, whilst the nearby Messassi hospital reportedly received more than 40 people who had been injured from the stampede.
A nurse at the hospital said: “Some of the injured are in desperate condition. We will have to evacuate them to a specialised hospital.”
Naseri Paul Biya, governor of Cameroon's central region, said there may be more casualties. In a statement CAF (The Confederation of African Football) said that it is investigating the situation and trying to get more details on what led to the tragedy.
The last 16 match between took place despite the incident and ended with a 2-1 win for the host nation.
