Tragic stampede at Indonesian football stadium kills at least 120 – BBC News

October 2, 2022 at 3:26 am

Last updated: 5 hours ago

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image source,AFP via Getty Images

image caption,

Police fired tear gas and a stampede ensued.

At least 120 people were killed in a stampede on a football field in Indonesia on Saturday (October 1).

About 180 other people were injured, officials said. The accident happened at an Indonesian Serie A football league in East Java. On the evening of October 1, the home team (Arema FC) lost 2-3 to the away team Persebaya Surabaya (Persebaya Surabaya), which is the first time that the Arema team has lost to this old rival in more than 20 years. .

The country’s security officials said attendance exceeded the stadium’s limit of 38,000 by regarding 4,000.

Indonesian officials at one point put the death toll at 174, but later revised that number.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has asked all league matches to be suspended until the investigation is over.

Live video showed the home fans burst into the stadium at the end of the game and clashed with the away fans.

East Java police chief Nico Afinta said police fired tear gas, followed by a mass stampede, with people suffocating.

image source,EPA

image caption,

Police tried to stop fans who rushed into the stadium.

Among the dead were two police officers, and regarding 30 people died on the spot, while the rest died in the hospital.

“The crowd rushed to an exit, there was congestion, and there was breathing difficulties and hypoxia in the process.”

The Football Federation of Indonesia (PSSI) said it would launch an investigation, saying the accident “stained the face of Indonesian football”.

FIFA has stressed that police should not use “crowd control gas” in stadiums.

image source,EPA

image caption,

Destroyed police car at Kanjuluhan Stadium