Liverpool's Keita leads tributes after Guinean football club's coach crash leaves nine dead

Nine have been killed and 19 injured after the coach carrying the Guinean football team Étoile de Guinée crashed on Thursday.

Update: Mar 6th, 2020 10:29 EST

Instagram / @foot_224

Liverpool's Naby Keita has led the condolences after nine died when a coach carrying football club Étoile de Guinée crashed in his native Guinea on Thursday.

Keita cousin reportedly survives coach crash

It was initially believed that Keita's brother had been killed in the accident, but local reporter Amadou Makadji has since clarified that it was the midfielder's cousin who was on board.

Makadji has also reported that the cousin, Almamy Keita, is in fact one of the crash's survivors, despite being among those confirmed dead in a statement released by the Guinean Professional Football League (LGFP).

Almamy Kéita est le cousin de Naby Kéita et il a survécu au terrible accident qui est survenu jeudi. Il n'est pas mort contrairement à l'information donnée par la LGFP et relayée par plusieurs médias locaux et internationaux.
RIP aux victimes et prompt rétablissement aux blessés
— Thierno Amadou Makadji (@ThAmadouMakadji) March 6, 2020

Nine dead and 19 injured in accident

The accident, which took place in Timbo, around 250 kilometres from the Guinean capital of Conakry, has also left 19 injured, several in a serious condition.

Étoile de Guinée, who play in the second tier of Guinean league football, were travelling to the city of Kankan to face Karifamoriah.

According to the Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, there were 27 people on board: 22 players, four backroom-team members and the driver.

Ligue Guinéene de Football Professionnel

Crash caused by brake failure, says club's manager

Speaking to Guineematin.com, Étoile de Guinée manager d’Abdourahmane Condé said: "We were going downhill when the coach's brakes suddenly gave way.

"There were three corners; the driver somehow managed to negotiate the first two, but there was nothing he could do about the third. He lost control of the vehicle and it crashed into a tree."

Naby Keita "shocked, sad and heartbroken"

Reacting to the accident on his Instagram profile, Naby Keita wrote: "I am shocked, sad and heartbroken at this terrible news.

"My sincere condolences to the #etoiledeguinee team and to Guinean football, may their souls rest in peace."

"Profound pain"

In its statement, meanwhile, the LGFP spoke of its "profound pain" at the news of the crash.