Indonesian football supporters named Ultras pray during a candlelight vigil to show their condolences to victims of a stampede, in Jakarta on Oct 2, 2022.
(ADEK BERRY / AFP)
MALANG, Indonesia – Seventeen children were among at least 125 people killed in a soccer stampede in Indonesia at the weekend, officials said, as pressure builds on the Southeast Asian nation to explain how one of the world's worst stadium disasters unfolded.
Violence and hooliganism have long been features of Indonesian football, especially in places such as Jakarta, the capital, but Saturday's disaster in a small town in Java has thrown a spotlight on the problem.
Saturday's deadly crush came as panicking spectators tried to escape the overpacked stadium after police fired tear gas to disperse fans from the losing home side who ran onto the pitch at the end of the match
"My family and I didn't think it would turn out like this," said Endah Wahyuni, the elder sister of two boys, Ahmad Cahyo, 15, and Muhammad Farel, 14, who died after being caught in the melee.
"They loved soccer, but never watched Arema live at Kanjuruhan stadium, this was their first time," she added at her brothers' funeral on Sunday, referring to the home side they backed.
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The boys were among 17 children killed, said state news agency Antara, citing figures from the women's empowerment and child protection ministry.
"Seventeen children died and seven were treated, but there is a possibility that could increase," said Nahar, a ministry official.
Indonesian daily Koran Tempo ran a black front page on Monday, centered on the words "Our Football Tragedy", printed in red along with a list of the dead.
Saturday's deadly crush came as panicking spectators tried to escape the overpacked stadium after police fired tear gas to disperse fans from the losing home side who ran onto the pitch at the end of the match.
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The incident was a "dark day for all involved", said FIFA, the governing body for world soccer, which has asked Indonesian football authorities for a report on the incident.
Its safety regulations say firearms or "crowd control gas" should be used at matches.
Police and sport officials have being sent to the city of Malang to investigate an incident that ranks among the world's deadliest stadium disasters.