| Date | 5 May 1992 |
|---|---|
| Time | 20:23 |
| Venue | Stade Armand-Cesari |
| Location | Bastia, Corsica, France |
| Coordinates | 42°39′5″N 9°26′34″E / 42.65139°N 9.44278°E |
| Cause | Collapse of a terrace |
| Deaths | 18 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 2,300 |
The Stade Armand-Cesari disaster, also known as the Furiani disaster, happened at Bastia on the French island of Corsica at the Stade Armand-Cesari, on 5 May 1992. 18 people were killed when one of the terraces collapsed.[1]
On that day, SC Bastia faced Olympique de Marseille for a semifinal match in the French Cup. Marseille was unarguably the best team in France at the time, and the board of Bastia wanted to take advantage of it by adding a large-capacity stand, to increase the number of seats by 50%. Local authorities approved the project without restrictions.
Before the game, the stand collapsed, killing 18 and leaving over 2,300 injured.
Structural problems, such as instability, were noticeable in the hour before the match. The structure collapsed at 20:23 CEST, shortly before the scheduled start of the match. Supporters and media were trapped in the wreckage. The match was never played. All medical resources on the island were fully committed to dealing with the injured and many of the victims were eventually evacuated to the mainland; the airport was reported as resembling a field hospital.