Prime Minister Christian Ntsay has reported that a tragic stampede occurred at the Mahamasina stadium in Antananarivo, Madagascar’s capital, resulting in the loss of at least 12 lives.
Additionally, during the opening ceremony of the Indian Ocean Island Games, approximately 80 individuals sustained injuries.
“There were a lot of people at the entrance,” Red Cross official Antsa Mirado told the AFP news agency.
President Andry Rajoelina, present at the stadium during the incident, described it as a “tragic event” and called for a moment of silence.
The Mahamasina stadium, boasting a seating capacity of almost 41,000, reportedly had a full complement of spectators.
Video footage has surfaced, revealing a number of bewildered injured individuals seated on the ground. Additional victims are observed being transported away from the stadium.
Established in 1977, the Indian Ocean Island Games is a multi-sport competition held once every four years.
Participating nations include Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, the Maldives, and Réunion.
Back in 2018, a crush incident occurred at the Mahamasina before the commencement of a Madagascar-Senegal football match, resulting in one fatality and nearly 40 injuries.
In 2016, the same venue experienced a grenade explosion during Madagascar’s national day celebrations, leading to two fatalities and approximately 80 injuries. This explosion happened during a free concert.
Two years prior, a grenade blast near the same stadium caused the death of a toddler and inflicted injuries upon multiple individuals.
