A pregame stunt involving two passenger jets flying dramatically low over a sports stadium in South Africa drew huge cheers from the estimated crowd of around 56,000 people, but also sparked a major debate over safety risks.

The flyby by two Embraer jets operated by local airline Airlink happened on Saturday before a rugby game between South Africa and New Zealand in Cape Town.

Flight tracking service Flightradar24 estimated that the lead jet passed just 41 to 46 feet (12 to 14 meters) above the roof of Cape Town Stadium, with the crowd and the top-ranked rugby teams in the world below.