Angola stadium stampede death toll rises to 13

Church group organized event

The Associated Press

Posted: Jan 2, 2013 5:38 AM ET

Last Updated: Jan 2, 2013 12:53 PM ET

The death toll in a stampede on New Year's Eve at a sports stadium in Angola has risen to 13, and some of the victims were children, Angolan media reported Wednesday.

Officials said about 120 people were also injured in the incident, which happened when tens of thousands of people tried to enter a stadium in the capital, Luanda, for a religious gathering, according to Angop, the Angolan news agency.

Faustino Sebastiao, spokesman for the national firefighters department, said those who died were crushed and asphyxiated. There are reports the stampede happened as people tried to enter the overcrowded Citadela Desportiva stadium.

The event in the southern African nation was organized by the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, an evangelical group founded in Brazil.

In western Africa, a crowd in Ivory Coast stampeded after leaving a New Year's fireworks show early Tuesday, killing at least 61 people and injuring more than 200.

Stay Connected with CBC News

Big Box Advertisement

Top News Headlines

Will Rob Ford's supporters leave Ford Nation?

Will Rob Ford's supporters leave Ford Nation?: The growing controversy over a purported video alleging to show Toronto Mayor Rob Ford smoking crack cocaine may be testing the faith of even his most die-hard supporters. But experts say Ford's policies may trump whatever personal issues he's facing, and that his supporters may rally behind him. more »

Hockey Canada votes to ban bodychecking in peewee hockey: Hockey Canada's board of directors voted to eliminate bodychecking from peewee-level hockey on Saturday in Charlottetown. more »
Neil Macdonald: How serious is Obama about curbing the drone surge?: In a key speech this week, the U.S. president set out a host of supposed new safeguards for America's controversial practice of remote-controlled rough justice. But as Neil Macdonald writes, the underlying rationale for drone use has not fundamentally changed. more »
Ontario man lost in Australian mountains has survival skills: The sister of an Ontario man who disappeared in Australia's Snowy Mountains nearly two weeks ago says she remains hopeful he will be found, partly because of his training as a Canadian Forces reservist. more »
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford denies using crack cocaine: The mayor of Canada's largest city told a packed news conference that he doesn't use crack cocaine and isn't a crack addict — and new allegations surfaced Saturday involving Ford's brothers. more »

Must Watch

Latest World News Headlines

Canadian mine giant Barrick fined a record $16.4M in Chile

Canadian mine giant Barrick fined a record $16.4M in Chile: Chile has fined Canadian gold mine giant Barrick $16.4 million, the highest environmental fine in the country's history, saying agency inspectors found the company hadn't told the full truth when it reported failures. more »

Neil Macdonald: How serious is Obama about curbing the drone surge?: In a key speech this week, the U.S. president set out a host of supposed new safeguards for America's controversial practice of remote-controlled rough justice. But as Neil Macdonald writes, the underlying rationale for drone use has not fundamentally changed. more »
3 more suspects arrested in slaying of U.K. soldier: British police investigating the savage killing of an off-duty soldier in London have arrested three more suspects. more »
16 children, 1 teacher dead in Pakistan bus fire: Police say 16 schoolchildren and a teacher burned to death in eastern Pakistan early today when a short-circuit near a leaking gas tank caused their minibus to be engulfed in flames. more »
Growing appetite for American whisky straining supply: Fans of some American whiskies might soon be scrambling to find their favourite brand because of a seemingly insatiable demand for bourbon, rye and other styles of whisky that shows no sign of abating. more »

More Headlines »

The National

The Current

Is any work being done at Toronto City Hall? May. 24, 2013 4:29 PM Many people in Toronto worry Rob Ford's notoriety and chaos in the mayor's office may have lasting consequences for the city.