21 South African Teens Die in A Pub, Reason Unclear

Teenagers as young as thirteen years old died in the incident, which happened on Monday, leading to a countrywide assumption that underage drinking tragically went wrong.

Many of the victims were discovered dead inside a well-liked tavern in the southern city of East London while others passed away later in the hospital.

Officials have ruled out a stampede as a possible cause. Autopsies are being done to determine whether the fatalities could be related to poisoning as there were no visible signs of injuries on the bodies.

According to the authorities, many of the victims were believed to be teenagers celebrating the conclusion of their high school exams.

According to the Eastern Cape provincial administration, 13 boys and 8 girls died, 17 of the bodies were discovered in the tavern while others passed away in hospitals.

Township taverns, sometimes known as shebeens, which are frequently located next to or even inside family houses, are places where persons over the age of 18 may consume alcohol.

But in these pubs, safety rules and age restrictions aren't always observed.

Empty alcohol bottles, wigs, and a pastel purple "Happy Birthday" sash were among the things that were discovered lying around on the tavern's street.

Four people who attended the party in South Africa's East London area are currently in critical condition, as of the time of publication. According to a source, the bar's proprietor has not been detained, but the province's Liquor Board will close it on Monday to allow for the conclusion of investigations.

On Sunday, the South African Police announced that it was using "all available resources" to look into how the kids' deaths at the tavern came to be.