Dozens dead in Guinea concert stampede

A stampede at a rap concert on a beach has killed at least 24 people in the Guinean capital Conakry, hospital officials said.

The government declared a week of national mourning after what it called a "tragic drama" on Tuesday in the capital's northern Ratoma suburb where popular Guinean rap group Instinct Killers was playing along with other artists.

Medics took at least 24 bodies, including 13 girls, to a hospital morgue at Donka, a hospital official told the Agence France-Presse news agency.

"For the time being we have 24 bodies at the Donka hospital morgue and dozens of injured were rushed to various [Conakry] health centers after this deadly stampede," said a police officer.

The president's office said in a statement it was "shocked by the tragic drama caused by mass movements at a cultural event."

An investigation has been launched to determine what caused the tragedy. The official in charge of organizing such events was suspended.

Agence France-Presse