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Halloween celebrations in a nightlife district of South Korea’s capital end in unprecedented disaster. The overview.
Over 150 dead: At least 153 people have died in the rush to celebrate Halloween in Seoul, according to the fire department. Another 103 visitors were injured, more than a dozen of them seriously. It is mainly young people who are affected.
According to the fire department, 22 foreigners were among the fatalities, and the Interior Ministry gave the number as 20. According to the information, the victims came from China, Iran, Russia, the USA, France, Australia, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Norway, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Austria. The death toll could continue to rise, according to the fire service. Nothing is currently known about possible Swiss victims, as the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs told the Keystone-SDA news agency.
Legend:
Rescue workers transport an injured person from the scene of the stampede.
Keystone/EPA YNA/YONHAP
Overcrowded streets in nightlife districts: According to eyewitnesses, the crowd broke out when there was an extreme crowd in a narrow, slightly descending alleyway in the busy Itaewon neighborhood on Saturday evening (local time). For the visitors, the alley, which is not even 100 meters long, with bars and restaurants on both sides, became a trap: numerous visitors fell to the ground, while others moved up. The crowds had backed up behind.
According to eyewitness reports, the alleys around the accident site were so crowded that the rescue workers had difficulty making their way through the crowds and reaching the victims. Online videos circulating on social media showed dozens of people lying on the side of the road covered in blue plastic sheeting. Overall, the emergency services tried to revive more than 50 people, reported the national news agency Yonhap. Accordingly, more than 140 rescue vehicles were in use. The area has been cordoned off extensively.
Legend:
Most of the victims are young people who came to party in the Itaewon nightlife district.
Keystone/AP/ LEE JIN-MAN
Exact circumstances still unclear: The exact circumstances of the disaster are still unclear, the police said it would also check whether there were violations of safety regulations. According to the reports, the first reports of the accident were received by the fire brigade and police at around 10:15 p.m. local time.
Legend:
Mourners remember the victims the day after the disaster.
KEYSTONE/AP/AHN YOUNG-JOON
State mourning ordered: South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol ordered a thorough investigation and national mourning on Sunday morning. Yoon led an emergency session that night. Before that, he ordered more emergency personnel to be sent to the area and hospital beds to be prepared. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon reportedly canceled all appointments during a visit to Europe and was on his way back to the capital. The city set up a phone line for missing persons reports.
Legend:
South Korea’s President Yoon Suk-yeol (centre) took a look at the scene after the disaster.
Keystone/AP/LEE JIN-MAN
The world condoles: Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis responded to the “terrible” news from Seoul in a tweet on Saturday evening. He expresses his condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims. After this tragedy, his thoughts are with the people of South Korea.
Other heads of state and government, such as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron and China’s head of state, also sent condolences to the victims’ families and expressed their condolences to the country’s population.