South African tavern deaths

Officials said the cause of death of the victims, some as young as 14, was unclear.

Police were called at about 4 a.m. local time in the Eastern Cape Province.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation," Kinana said. “We received this report in the early hours of this morning. The South African Police Service they were found dead inside a local tavern in Scenery Park in the area of East London, according to Police Spokesperson Brigadier Tembinkosi Kinana said.

Officials have ruled out a stampede and said autopsies would determine if the deaths could be linked to poisoning.

This was a humble child, respectful," said grieving mother Ntombizonke Mgangala, standing next to her husband outside the morgue. Seventeen were found dead inside the tavern. "It's a terrible scene," he told reporters. Many are thought to have been students celebrating the end of their high-school exams on Saturday night, provincial officials said. There were no visible wounds on the bodies. The rest died in hospital.

Local newspaper Daily Dispatch reported that bodies were strewn across tables and chairs without any visible signs of injuries.

People outside were said to have tried to push their way in, setting off a panic, which may have been exacerbated by someone releasing pepper spray, he said. Binqose said the tavern had hosted a large party Saturday night, featuring two DJs who were celebrating their birthdays. Television news footage showed local residents gathered on a dirt road outside the modest building housing the bar, Enyobeni Tavern, many of them seeking information about loved ones.

“We are going to conduct autopsies as soon as possible to establish the probable cause of death,” said health department spokesperson Siyanda Manana.

The deceased have been taken to state mortuaries,” Manana added. “However, we will hear what the police say about the cause of death,” Ndevu added. “We are going to conduct autopsies as soon as possible to establish the probable cause of death.

Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Nine of the victims are females and 12 are males. The cause of death was not immediately known. I request that we calm down and let the police do their job and take it from there."

The cause of death is unknown. Local media say bodies lay inside the Enyobeni Tavern as if they had collapsed, but there were no obvious injuries on the victims ...

You can also get in touch in the following ways: Were you in the area? The cause of death is unknown.

The youngest victim at the Enyobeni Tavern in the city of East London was 13, police said.

Matinise said he contacted the establishment’s owner once he realized some of the victims were not breathing. “We are going to immediately be embarking on autopsies so we can know the probable cause of death,” he said. “When you look at their faces, you realize that we are dealing with kids,” Cele said.

The teenagers' bodies were found in a bar in the South African city of East London, with reports saying they had no visible wounds or signs of injury.

Officers responding to the call found most of the teenagers already dead. Their cause of death remained under investigation Monday, police spokesperson Col. Athlenda Mathe said. "This tragedy is made even more grave by its occurrence during Youth Month – a time during which we celebrate young people."

Four people in South Africa's East London town remain in critical condition after attending a party that turned tragic. The Eastern Cape Premier's office ...

The President expects the law to take its course following investigations into the tragedy, the statement added. South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed his condolences to the families of the victims. Investigations continue into the cause of the death of the minors, the youngest of whom was only 13.