At least eight people were killed in a crush during a Cameroon Africa Cup of Nations match.

 

 

In a crush outside an Africa Cup of Nations football match in Cameroon, at least eight people were killed and 38 more were injured.

Videos showed masses of shouting football fans getting crushed at the Paul Biya stadium’s entrance gates in Yaounde, the capital.

Witnesses recounted chaotic scenes outside the stadium as tens of thousands of fans fought for entry.

A 14-year-old child was killed, and seven people were critically injured.

President Paul Biya of Cameroon has requested an investigation into the accident and expressed his “deepest condolences” to the relatives of the victims. The African Football Confederation has also initiated an inquiry.

 

The stadium has a capacity of 60,000 but it was not meant to be more than 80% full for the game because of Covid restrictions.

Nick Cavell, a producer for BBC Africa, was at the match and says news of the crush did not seem to filter through to the crowd until there were reports on social media.

Danish journalist Buster Emil Kirchner described seeing “a lot of chaos” as fans clamoured to enter the ground through a single open gate.

“It was hectic – people running, people climbing fences, people breaking through the barricades,” he told the BBC, adding that he had seen many people without tickets trying to “force themselves in”.