Families in the Guinean city of N’zérékoré are retrieving the bodies of loved ones from a local morgue following a deadly stadium stampede that claimed dozens of lives.
Jules Koevogui, who lost his daughter in the tragedy, recounted the heartbreaking moment he learned of her death. “Someone asked me to come to the morgue. I asked what had happened, and they told me to come. When I arrived, I saw my daughter’s body lying on the floor. Like others who were retrieving their loved ones, I asked if I could take her body, and they handed her over to me.”
The chaos erupted when fans protested a referee’s decision, triggering a mass attempt to flee the stadium. Local media reported that security forces deployed tear gas, and eyewitnesses claimed that law enforcement actions worsened the situation.
Maikan Fofana, who was present during the stampede, described the scene: “The police completely shocked us. When we tried to leave the stadium after the clash began, they blocked the exits with their cars. Those who came first couldn’t get out, and those behind pushed forward. People fell, and others trampled on them. When I arrived at the hospital, I was unconscious.”
The stadium had been packed with tens of thousands of fans watching a match between local teams competing in a national tournament.
The country’s prime minister has assured the public that authorities are investigating the incident to determine responsibility for the tragedy.
