12 dead, 80 injured in stampede in Madagascar capital

ANTANANARIVO -- At least 12 people were killed and around 80 others injured on Friday afternoon in a stampede at the entrance to the Barea stadium in the Madagascar's capital Antananarivo, prior to the opening ceremony of the 11th Indian Ocean Games, Malagasy Prime Minister Christian Ntsay said.

"For the moment, the provisional toll is 12 dead and around 80 injured, with 11 of whom require urgent surgery," the prime minister told the media Friday evening.

"The state is covering the medical costs of the injured and on behalf of all the institutions, I offer my condolences to the families of the victims," he added.

At the subsequent opening ceremony, President Andry Rajoelina led a minute of silence for the victims of the stampede.

On June 26, 2019, at least 15 people died and 75 others were injured in a similar stampede at the same venue, known then as Mahamasina stadium, when people were celebrating the independence of Madagascar.

Before that, on Sept 9, 2018, another stampede at the entrance to the stadium left one person dead and 47 others injured during a soccer match between Madagascar and Senegal.