Seventeen dead and dozens injured after stampede at football stadium
AT LEAST 17 people have died and dozens have been injured after a stampede at a football match in Angola.
The stampede took place during the first day of the Angolan football season
The tragedy occurred when hundreds of people attempted to enter the 4th of January Stadium in the city of Uige, in the north of the country.
Some people fell at the entrance, causing a bottle-neck. Others, unaware of what was developing, pushed forward causing the fatal crush.
Witnesses say police decided to allow fans without tickets to enter the ground. When panic ensued police allegedly used tear gas, which only exacerbated the situation.
One person blamed the “arrogance of the security company and a lack of education of crowds”.
He also attributed the “mistreatment of tear gas” to the tragedy.
Chaos outside the ground following the tragedy
Dozens have been injured in the accident
Some people had to walk on the top of other people
Along with the 17 deaths, at least 60 people have been injured, the region's hospital director confirmed. Five of those injured are in a serious condition.
Ernesto Luis said: "There had been a push that led to the suffocation people. Some people had to walk on the top of other people. There was 76 casualties of whom 17 died."
Police officers at the ground following the stampede
The crowd outside the stadium following the stampede
The match, between Santa Rita de Cassia and the Recreativo de Libolo, was the first of the new season.
The game had just started when the crush occurred, leading some to speculate the referee's whistle had sparked the stampede as fans surged forward.