At least 22 young men were found dead with no apparent injuries at a nightclub in East London, South Africa. The cause of death is still unknown.
The victims were between 18 and 20 years old. In a first balance, 17 deaths were reported, but other people died in hospital. Local newspaper DispatchLive reported that the bodies were strewn over tables, chairs and on the floor.
The nightclub is located in a mostly black suburban neighborhood in the city of East London, a thousand kilometers south of Johannesburg. The scene has been cordoned off by police, who are investigating the cause of the deaths.
In social networks, users mention the possibility of gas poisoning or collective poisoning. Shared photos, the authenticity of which could not be verified, showed bodies with no visible signs of injuries strewn across the floor.
The bodies will be transported to state morgues, and family members will help identify the victims. Siyanda Manana, spokeswoman for the Eastern Cape provincial health department, will be doing toxicology tests during the autopsies.
The youths were students who were having a party after their written tests, according to Unathi Binqose, head of Security and Community in the Eastern Cape province. Local television broadcast footage of police trying to calm a crowd gathered outside the nightclub.
“It’s scary, it’s incomprehensible to lose twenty young people like that,” said Oscar Mabuyane, the head of the Eastern Cape provincial government, who was at the scene of the tragedy on Sunday. Many parents whose children did not sleep at home tried to enter the club to look for their loved ones.
Expressing condolences to the victims’ families, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said he was concerned about the circumstances under which young people were allowed to gather at the establishment.
A 17-year-old girl, who identified herself as “Lolly” and lived near the club, told Reuters news agency the venue was a popular hangout for young people. “Everyone that place is closed because it sells alcohol to minors. Everyone is angry, everyone is sad because of what happened,” she said.
