Friday, 29 Mar, 2024

International

16 dead in Madagascar Independence Day rally crush

21 |
Update: 2019-06-27 12:08:58
16 dead in Madagascar Independence Day rally crush A general view of Mahamasina stadium in Antananarivo, Madagascar, December 2018 (collected photo))

At least 16 people were crushed to death and dozens injured in Madagascar on Wednesday at a stadium hosting national independence day celebrations in the capital Antananarivo.

The bodies of sixteen victims, including three children, were stored at the mortuary of HJRA hospital in the city, AFP journalists said.

According to witnesses at the hospital, the accident occurred in the afternoon outside the Mahamasina stadium, where several thousand people had gathered for a concert following the traditional military parade held to mark the national holiday.

At the end of a military parade, security forces opened the gates to allow spectators to leave the enclosure, causing the crowd to mass outside the stadium, witnesses said.

The police then immediately closed the gates and blocked the crowd, witnesses said, causing a deadly pile up.

"When the organisers opened the gate, we were in the front row, in the queue," said Jean Claude Etienne Rakotoarimanana, 29, who suffered bruises from the crush.

"Suddenly people ran to get in front of us. They shoved us, some even punched us and pulled us," he added, saying he then fainted.

Madagascan President Andry Rajoelina, at a press conference with Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame, offered his condolences over the tragic deaths.

Source: TRT

BDST: 1208 HRS, JUN 27, 2019
SI

All rights reserved. Sale, redistribution or reproduction of information/photos/illustrations/video/audio contents on this website in any form without prior permission from banglanews24.com are strictly prohibited and liable to legal action.