At least 8 people have reportedly lost their lives in a stadium crush in Cameroon where the football match of the Africa Cup of Nations was in action.
It is reported that 8 people are confirmed dead, whereas, 38 have been reported injured at the moment.
Videos are being circulated on different social media platforms depicting chaotic and panic scenes amongst the match goers and fans.
Witnesses have described that there was a crowd of over thousands of people outside the stadium as fans tried to get access and struggled to enter the stadium
Paul Biya, the President of Cameroon has ordered an immediate investigation into the “tragic incident.”
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has also launched its independent investigation.
“CAF is currently investigating the situation in order to obtain more details about these incidents. We are in constant communication with the Cameroonian authorities and the local organizing committee,” a CAF spokesperson said in a statement.
According to the officials, about 50,000 people tried to enter the stadium to watch the match. The stadium has a capacity of 60,000 people but due to the covid restrictions, not more than 80% of attendance in person was allowed.
Nick Cavell, a representative and producer at BBC Africa Sport was there in the stadium and as an eyewitness stated that the news of the crush did not spread out in the crowd until the reports started circulating on social media.
Buster Emil Kirchner, a Danish journalist described the chaotic scene as fans tried to enter the ground through a single gate.
“It was hectic – people running, people climbing fences, people breaking through the barricades.”
“People started shouting,” she told the BBC’s Newsday program. “A minute after that an ambulance came to the stadium, but when we got to the place the police would not allow us to get close to where the stampede was.
“It’s really quite a sad situation that people go to watch a game and they end up dying there.”
“Facing this tragedy, the seriousness of which has provoked emotion and consternation, the Head of State [Paul Biya] sends his saddest condolences to the badly hit families, as well as his wishes of a speedy recovery to the injured, to whom he sends the profound compassion of the entire nation,” the statement added.
