More than 150 dead in Seoul Halloween stampede
tragedy
2 minutes
Today at 09:49
A crowd surge occurred Saturday night in Itaewon’s popular nightlife district after large crowds entered narrow alleyways
A crowd surge occurred Saturday night in Itaewon’s popular nightlife district after large crowds entered narrow alleyways
Flowers are laid at the scene of the Halloween frenzy in Seoul’s popular Itaewon district on October 30, 2022.
Photo credit: AFP
At least 153 people were killed and dozens injured after a crowd was crushed during a Halloween celebration in Seoul, making it one of the deadliest incidents in South Korea in years.
Fire and police officials said in a televised briefing that a crowd surge occurred in Itaewon’s popular nightlife district on Saturday night after large numbers of people entered a narrow alleyway behind the Hamilton Hotel. President Yoon Seok-yeol declared a period of national mourning from Sunday and vowed to conduct a thorough investigation.
“Last night, during Halloween, there was a tragedy that should not have happened in central Seoul,” Yoon said in a televised address on Sunday.
According to Yonhap News, 97 of the dead were women. Among those killed were 20 of her foreign nationals, including nationals of China, Iran, Russia and the United States. His 82 were injured, 19 of them critically. Some of those who died have not yet been identified.
Tens of thousands of people are estimated to have flocked to Itaewon for the first Halloween celebrations since South Korea last month lifted Covid-19 restrictions that made it mandatory to wear masks outdoors.Posted online Photos and videos showed streets so packed that people could hardly move.
After the crash, footage showed people lying in the street receiving first aid and being taken to an ambulance. About 1,700 ambulance crews were dispatched to Itaewon and 144 vehicles were mobilized, officials said.
Prime Minister Yoon called an emergency meeting early Sunday morning and ordered ministries to provide prompt first aid and treatment to those injured in the accident and to consider safety measures. The government will provide medical assistance to the injured and provide funeral assistance to the families of the deceased, he said at the briefing.
The body of a victim believed to have suffered a cardiac arrest is covered in the popular nightlife district of Itaewon, Seoul, October 30, 2022.
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An investigation will be conducted to determine the cause of the crash and prevent similar accidents in the future, he added. Officials said there was no direct indication that drugs were involved.
Relevant authorities will conduct emergency inspections of Halloween events and other local festivals to ensure they are conducted in an orderly and safe manner, Yoon said.
Yoon has declared a nationwide mourning period that will last until November 5. The Ministry of Finance canceled scheduled press conferences with foreign media, and local authorities canceled events such as his Halloween party and the opening ceremony of South Korea’s biggest sales festival. A major K-pop event in Busan, which was expected to draw around 40,000 people, has also been canceled, according to organizers.
The accident, the deadliest in South Korea since the 2014 Sewol ferry sinking that killed 304 people, led to criticism of the government’s handling of the emergency at the time. There have been other stampedes in the past, including the 2005 Sangju concert where a crowd overwhelmed the crowd, killing 11 people. In 2006, 35 people were injured while trying to enter a free theme park in Seoul.
The accident prompted world leaders to express their condolences, including US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. China and Japan also expressed sympathy.
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