No Fewer Than Six Perish in Stampede at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Drive

No fewer than six individuals have died during a crowd crush at a military recruitment gathering held in a stadium in Ghana.

The Wednesday's "tragic" incident appeared to have been caused by "a sudden rush of applicants who overcame security measures and rushed into the gates," stated a release from the nation's military.

Twenty-two additional individuals were injured, among them five who remain in serious state.

A large crowd had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, the capital, with the aspiration of joining the armed forces.

Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of about 32%, the latest official data show, and such recruitment events normally draw large crowds and frequently result in disorderly situations.

The deadline to apply for this event was extended by a week to accommodate additional candidates, as a number had experienced difficulties in the process.

Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush took place ahead of the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.

Ghana's President John Mahama has visited the wounded in medical care.

Calm has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has now started.