Eyewitness: Ivory Coast stampede

The floor was covered in the bodies of the injured and dead

A stampede at a football stadium in Abidjan, Ivory Coast has left 19 people dead and 130 injured.

Ousmane, an engineer, from Abidjan, was caught up in the stampede with his friends and their children.

He described the scenes to BBC News.

When we arrived at the stadium, there were lots of people - more people than there were places.

They tried to force entry. That's when the policemen arrived with tear gas.

In the panic, there were lots of people running in every direction.

I was very afraid.

The gas was in my eyes. It was difficult, painful.

There were a lot of people afraid - running everywhere.

Some people fell down and they were crushed.

Some children died because they didn't have anywhere to run.

I saw people on the ground - injured people, waiting for doctors.

There were a lot of people on the floor, waiting to go to hospital. The ambulances were not enough.

No control

It was bad organisation.

There were a lot of people afraid - running everywhere. Some died because they didn't have anywhere to run. In pictures: Stadium disaster Fans blamed for stampede 'Stampedes not an issue' for 2010

And the people who did have tickets, they cannot enter.

This is why the situation arose, I think. The people who have tickets were outside.

We had tickets, but after what happened, we took our children and went back home.

Nobody in the stadium could have known what was happening. It all happened outside.

After what I saw, I can't imagine going to another match in Ivory Coast, in this situation. I would be very afraid to go again.

The authorities need to find a good way to control people.

Were you at the stadium or do you have friends who you know were there? Are you affected by any of the issues raised in the story?

Please send us your comments using the form below.

In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below.

The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version