At least thirteen people, including seven children, have been crushed to death at the entrance of a stadium in the Malagasy capital Antananarivo. At least 107 people were also injured, the Red Cross and a local parliamentarian report. According to the Red Cross, the number of victims could still rise.
The crowd erupted at the entrance to Barea Stadium, where some 50,000 spectators had gathered for the opening ceremony of a sporting event for island nations in the Indian Ocean. The cause of the crowding is still unclear.
Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina, who attended the opening ceremony, called for a minute’s silence. “A tragic event happened because of the pushing. There were injured and dead at the entrance,” he said in a televised address.
In 2019, a similar incident occurred at the stadium. At least fifteen people were killed.
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