Families in N’zérékoré, Guinea, are recovering the bodies of their loved ones from a morgue following a deadly stadium stampede that claimed dozens of lives.
Jules Koevogui, a father of one of the victims, shared his grief, saying, “Someone asked me to come to the morgue. I asked him what had happened. He told me to come. When I got there, I saw my daughter’s body lying (on the floor). I was told she was at the stadium. As I had seen other people removing the bodies of their loved ones, I too asked if I could remove my daughter’s body, and they said yes and handed the body over to me in front of the people here.”
The chaos erupted when fans protested a referee’s decision, and thousands tried to flee the stadium. According to local media reports, security forces used tear gas, and some eyewitnesses say law enforcement failed to assist people in leaving the stadium.
Maikan Fofana, who was present during the stampede, recounted, “The police completely shocked us yesterday, because when we started to leave the stadium (after the clash began), they (the police) blocked the exit with their cars. So, we who had come first couldn’t get out and those who came after us, they pushed us to get out and finally we fell and those who were behind us stepped on us. When I got to the hospital, I was unconscious.”
Tens of thousands had gathered to watch a match between local teams competing in a national tournament. The country’s prime minister has stated that authorities are working to determine who is responsible for the incident.
