Lesotho mourns death of 26 soccer fans

(SomaliNet) The tiny southern African kingdom of Lesotho was in mourning on Wednesday for 26 people who lost their lives in a road accident while travelling to a football tournament on December 26.

The victims were part of a group of 80 people travelling from their hometown of Thaba-Tseka in the east to a Christmas football competition in Matsoku, South Africa\'s Sowetan newspaper reported. Matsoku is located in Mokhotlong district in the north-east.

\"For 26 of the people, it proved to be their final journey, as a road traffic accident claimed the lives of 21 players and five supporters,\" Fifa president Sepp Blatter said, presenting his condolences on the website of the world football body.

The tournament was cancelled after the accident, according to the Sowetan.

A memorial service for the 26 was due to be held at the scene of the accident, a spokesperson for the district football association told the paper. Their funerals were expected to take place over the weekend.

Roads in mountainous Lesotho, a poor country of around 1.8 million inhabitants entirely surrounded by South Africa, are notoriously treacherous. At least 47 other people lost their lives in road accidents in the last week of December, Lesotho\'s Public Eye newspaper reported. - Sapa-dpa.