Stampede at Seoul Halloween event kills 59, injures at least 150 more

[Gefn]

SEOUL — At least 59 people died and at least 150 more were injured after an apparent crowd crush or stampede during Halloween celebrations in the Itaewon area of Seoul Saturday night, according to fire department officials.

Dozens of ambulances were lined up along the main road in Itaewon, a foreigner-friendly international district where large crowds had gathered this weekend for Halloween parties.


A Washington Post reporter observed emergency personnel administering CPR to multiple people lying on the street as others were being carried on stretchers to ambulances. Young people in Halloween costumes were holding onto each other, distressed and in tears.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/10/29/itaewon-seoul-halloween-stampede/

[mountaineer]

Seoul stampede of terror: At least 146 dead, another 150 injured after being crushed during Halloween festivities in South Paul Sacca
October 29, 2022

Halloween festivities held in South Korea spiraled into pure terror on Saturday night. A stampede disaster killed at least 146 people and injured another 150 in the South Korean capital of Seoul.

Revelers flocked to Seoul's entertainment district of Itaewon for Halloween festivities. The Halloween celebration attracted approximately 100,000 to the streets – which is believed to be the biggest in South Korea since the country recently eased its COVID-19 restrictions.

However, the merriment quickly turned into tragedy as young people reportedly rushed to see an unidentified celebrity at a nearby bar. Hundreds of partygoers poured into a narrow alley near the Hamilton Hotel. The massive influx of people caused many to fall to the ground and get crushed. ...

The Blaze

https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/1586425146163613696

[mystery-ak]

 At least 146 in South Korea crushed to death in crowd surge
by Julia Shapero - 10/29/22 2:03 PM ET

At least 146 people were killed and 150 more were injured in a crowd surge amid Halloween festivities in Seoul, South Korea, fire department officials said.

Officials said people were likely crushed to death when a large crowd surged forward in an alley in a popular party district of South Korea’s capital city, The Associated Press reported.

Seventy-four of the people who have been pronounced dead were taken to nearby hospitals, and the bodies of over 40 others were taken to a gym in the area to be identified, fire officials said in an earlier update.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol dispatched emergency medical services to the scene and the mayor of the city, Oh Se-hoon, is returning to the country amid a trip to the Netherlands, according to a report from The New York Times.

The stampede took place in Itaewon, a city center known for its nightlife.

— Updated at 3:34 p.m.

https://thehill.com/policy/international/3710714-at-least-59-in-south-korea-crushed-to-death-in-crowd-surge/

[libertybele]

How horrific. 

[Gefn]

Dup thread

This  one is more up to date.


https://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,483632.0.html

[Right_in_Virginia]

At least 19 foreigners are among more than 150 dead in Seoul Halloween party stampede: Sickening footage shows helpless youngsters suffocating trapped against walls and barriers in crush caused when thousands tried to get to bar 'to see local celebrity
Daily Mail, Oct 29, 2022


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11368533/Officials-Dozens-cardiac-arrest-Seoul-crowd-surge.html

[Right_in_Virginia]

[Right_in_Virginia]

[Right_in_Virginia]

[Right_in_Virginia]

Horrifying ...

[Right_in_Virginia]

[GtHawk]

All over a supposed celebrity, I have never in my life understood this insane worship of 'celebrities' whether sports, entertainment or political that drives some people to insane behavior. Prayers for the families of the dead and those injured.

[mountaineer]

Ohio representative mourns his niece, Anne Gieske, who was killed in South Korea
Cameron Knight
Cincinnati Enquirer
Oct. 31, 2022

In a statement Monday, Ohio representative Brad Wenstrup said that a local woman killed in a South Korean crowd surge is his niece.

“Monica and I, and our entire family, are grieving the loss of our niece Anne Marie Gieske. She was a gift from God to our family. We loved her so much,” Wenstrup said in a statement. ...

Anne Gieske, a junior in the University of Kentucky's nursing program, was among the more than 150 people killed when a crowd surged at a Halloween celebration in South Korea Saturday.

University of Kentucky issued a statement Sunday that said Anne Gieske was studying abroad in South Korea and attended the celebration attended by over 100,000. ...

Cincinnati.com

[mountaineer]

First calls to police made four hours before Seoul Halloween crush turned deadly
Transcripts released by police reveal how the panic grew as the alleys of Itaewon grew ever more crowded during the Halloween celebrations.
By Guy Birchall, news reporter
Tuesday 1 November 2022 17:23, UK

The first calls to police about the crush in Seoul that killed more than 150 people came in four hours before the incident turned fatal.

Transcripts of the 11 emergency calls made in the hours before reveal the growing fear of revellers and how they urged police to intervene as the Halloween party descended into chaos and tragedy.

The first warning of a possible deadly surge was made at 6.34pm on Saturday evening, roughly four hours before the crush became deadly.

National Police Commissioner General Yoon Hee-keun acknowledged on Tuesday that crowd control at the scene was "inadequate", and revealed police received multiple reports of possible accidents on the night of the disaster. ...

Sky News

[mountaineer]

Interior minister apologizes over Itaewon crush
Posted : 2022-11-01 18:45
Updated : 2022-11-02 16:40
By Jung Min-ho

Interior and Safety Minister Lee Sang-min apologized on Tuesday over last week's crowd crush, which took the lives of more than 150 people in Itaewon, a popular nightlife district in Seoul.

"I deeply apologize to the people as a Cabinet member in a position to be infinitely responsible for the people's safety," Lee said at a parliamentary session. "First of all, I pray for those who died. I also offer my deep condolences to the bereaved families … As the father of a son and a daughter, this incident is so tragic and regrettable. It is difficult for me to accept this surreal reality and my words cannot describe how terrible it was."

The apology comes amid growing criticism over his previous remarks suggesting that he was not responsible for the Oct. 28 incident, which killed at least 156 people and injured 151 others, mostly in their 20s, during their first restriction-free Halloween parties there since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Yet Lee did not apologize in response to the specific criticism that an insufficient number of police officers in the area was attributable to the incident. He said it was his fault that he did not consider the broken hearts of the bereaved families when making the remarks.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon also issued an apology, vowing to come up with better safety policies. ...

Korea Times