On 1 December 2024, a stampede and crowd crush occurred at the Stade du 3 Avril, a football stadium in the Guinean city of Nzérékoré, resulting in at least 56 deaths.[2] Civil society groups said at least 135 people died, most of them children.[1]
Venue
The Stade du 3 Avril, the only stadium in Nzérékoré Prefecture, has been in poor quality for multiple years. Renovation work started on the stadium in 2008, but was later halted, in part due to political instability. The stadium was reported to have a muddy field, half-finished roof, unfinished stands, and unbuilt bathroom facilities and ticket offices.[3][4][5] Although athletes continued to train and play in the stadium, the structure was also reported to be used by local drug users.[5]
Local authorities had been trying for years to secure funding to improve the structure.[4]
Events
On 1 December 2024, a football match between Nzérékoré and Labe[6] was held at the Stade du 3 Avril[7] as part of a tournament organised in honour of the country's president, Mamady Doumbouya. The tournament had been criticised by opposition groups as an attempt to advance Doumbouya’s “illegal and inappropriate candidacy” in upcoming presidential elections.[2] Between 20,000 and 30,000 spectators were in attendance,[8] which was "much larger than the stadium's capacity".[9]
In the 82nd minute of the match, a referee gave a red card to a member of the Nzérékoré team, leading to a penalty.[7] Fans of the visiting team, Labe, swarmed the field in protest of the referee's decision and threw stones.[7] According to local media, security personnel then used tear gas in an attempt to disperse the crowd.[7][8][10] Spectators began to flee the stadium, heading to the structure's two exits.[11] This led to a stampede and a crowd crush in and around the gates to the stadium, where many of the casualties occurred.[7][8] Other spectators scaled the stadium walls to escape, with some deaths being reported from falls.[11] Children were reportedly among those killed.[8]
The dead and injured were brought to the Nzérékoré regional hospital, where doctors were reportedly overwhelmed.[11] Soldiers were posted at the hospital to discourage family members of the victims from swarming the facilities.[8][11] Due to overcrowding, some families opted to have victims moved to private clinics.[11]
As of 3 December, 56 deaths have been confirmed by the government. A collective of civil society groups said at least 135 people were killed, citing information from hospitals, witnesses and relatives.[1] More than 50 others are believed to be unaccounted for.[12]
Aftermath
Following the incident, rioters set fire to the police station of Nzérékoré.[2] Internet access to the region was restricted.[11]
On 2 December, a number of people moved to leave the city for the towns and villages surrounding Nzérékoré.[13] Checkpoints were set up throughout the city and most stores were closed.[8][13] Many schools were closed, or teachers did not come to work.[13] Churches and mosques remained open.[13]
Schools and shops were again closed on 3 December.[11] According to local journalists, at least 25 burials of victims had occurred by 3 December.[11]
Prime minister Bah Oury announced an investigation into the disaster and expressed condolences to families of the victims. The opposition National Alliance for Change and Democracy attributed "significant responsibility for these grave events" to authorities.[6]
On the evening of 2 December, a government delegation visited the city and met with some of the victims' families.[11][9]
Three days of mourning are to be held, beginning on 3 December.[8]