An incident that occurred during the opening ceremony of the Indian Ocean Islands Games in Madagascar, resulted in the loss of at least 13 lives and around 80 individuals injured. The incident unfolded as enthusiastic sports fans rushed to enter the Mahamasina Stadium, which has a capacity of 41,000.
The cause of the stampede remains under investigation.
Prime Minister Christian Nutze reported that 11 of the injured individuals are in critical condition. President Andriy Rajolina addressed the audience, expressing his condolences and observing a moment of silence in memory of those who lost their lives.
Despite the somber moment, the event continued with a laser show and a display of fireworks as planned.