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'All over again' Hillsborough relatives grieve for Ellis Park victims
SHEFFIELD, England (AP) -- Relatives of the 95 fans who were crushed to death at the Hillsborough stadium tragedy in 1989 said Thursday they were horrified to see similar scenes at Ellis Park in South Africa on Wednesday. Coming just four days before the 12th anniversary of the Hillsborough tragedy, the deaths of 43 people at the Kaizer Chiefs-Orlando Pirates game in Johannesburg brought back painful memories for the Liverpool fans who died at the April 15 FA Cup semifinal against Nottingham Forest. "I saw the coverage on television last night," said Trevor Hicks, whose two teenage daughters were killed at Hillsborough. "I went through a mixture of emotions, being totally gutted in terms of emotion and angry that something so terrible could happen again. "The pictures were those of Hillsborough all over again. It is just unbelievable, it really is. It brings it all flashing back. "We can't help but feel empathy with the families in South Africa who must be suffering as we did." The two tragedies bore marked similarities. Both were high profile games with fans arriving late and trying to get into an already crowded section of the ground. In each case the games had started and had to be halted when it was realized what had happened in the stands. While the bodies of the dead were laid out on the field at Hillsborough, the same happened behind one of the goals at Ellis Park, as playing fields became temporary morgues. Hicks said the Ellis Park deaths were another reminder that soccer should not ease up on the strict safety measures that followed the Hillsborough tragedy. There have been moves in Germany and England to return to standing areas in grounds to recreate noisier crowds. Hicks said it was a bad move. "There are a few people trying to impose their will on the rest of us," he said, referring to a call by Sports Minister Kate Hoey to reintroduce standing areas. "There must be no going back. We should all be moving in the same direction to make football grounds even safer. "The Government should come out with an unequivocal promise that there will never be a winding back of safety standards including the return of terraces." Hicks said he and other Hillsborough victims would get in touch with those affected by the Ellis Park tragedy to express their condolences. "A lot of members of the Hillsborough Family Support Group will be grieving today. I will be trying to contact the South African embassy," he said. "Obviously we will be sending a message of condolence to the families of those who have died and those who do not know if there loved ones are coming back. Some appear to be very seriously injured. "We will do all we can to help," Hicks said. "It is so reminiscent of Hillsborough it is untrue. We had always feared this and said it would happen again one day."
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