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At least 12 people have been killed following a crush at Mahamasina Stadium in Antananarivo, Madagascar.
The incident occurred as the stadium was hosting the opening ceremony of the Indian Ocean Island Games. According to the AFP news agency, seven children were among those killed.
Christian Ntsay, Prime Minister of Madagascar, said that 12 people were killed. AFP has reported that opposition MP Hanitra Razafimanantsoa later told a local radio station that 13 people had died and over 100 were injured.
The cause of the crush, which occurred on Friday, is unclear. Antsa Mirado, a communications manager with the Red Cross, told AFP: “There were a lot of people at the entrance, which triggered a stampede.”
This is not the first time an incident like this has occurred at Mahamasina Stadium. In 2019, 15 people were killed following a stampede at the venue as it hosted independence day celebrations, while in 2018 one person died following a crush ahead of Madagascar’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Senegal.
The Indian Ocean Island Games were created by the International Olympic Committee. As well as Madagascar, the event features athletes from Comoros, Maldives, Mauritius, Mayotte, Réunion and Seychelles.
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