The cause of the stampede tragedy on Halloween night, eyewitness accounts, Korea declared national mourning

According to local media, the stampede tragedy in Seoul happened on the night of October 29 after a large number of people rushed to a bar in Itaewon. About 100,000 people flocked to the streets of Itaewon to celebrate Halloween after hearing about a famous star coming to the location.

On the evening of October 29 (KST), the unfortunate incident that happened in the busiest street in Seoul, South Korea, received everyone's attention. Accordingly, on the occasion of the Halloween festival, the crowd poured into the central district of Seoul, Itaewon street was full of people, crammed together with no way out.

The tragedy occurred as a stream of people poured into the narrow and steep alley next to the Hamilton Hotel. Witnesses said some people tripped on the ramp, causing a traffic jam, while the crowd continued to push forward, resulting in a stampede.

According to local media, the stampede tragedy occurred after a large number of people rushed to a bar in Itaewon. About 100,000 people flocked to the streets of Itaewon to celebrate Halloween after hearing about a famous star coming to the location.

Seoul officials said that as of the morning of October 30, at least 150 people had been killed, including 19 foreigners (from China, Iran, Uzbekistan, Norway,...). By sex, 54 males and 97 females. Nearly 100 people were injured in the incident.

Earlier, on the evening of October 29, Korean authorities fell into chaos when they received continuous distress signals from people in Itaewon area (Yongsan district), about 81 calls for help. due to difficulty breathing. Choi Seong-beom, the head of the rescue agency in Yongsan county, which includes Itaewon, told reporters that a large number of people had crashed during the Halloween festival.

"A lot of casualties were caused by the crowd being pushed down while participating in the Halloween costume festival. The victims are mainly in their twenties, most of them are women," said Choi Seong-beom, head of the force. Yongsan County Fire Department, information.

"When the people standing in the front fell, the people in the back pushed and jostled each other," the source quoted a resident at the scene as saying. The incident happened on a narrow street near the Hamilton Hotel when the number of people attending a Halloween party 10 times larger than usual poured into Itaewon, a famous nightlife district of Seoul.

From the images recorded by the people present, Itaewon street before the tragedy was full of people. The line of people followed each other with no way out. Some people have to choose to stand up on the steps and doors of the shop to avoid this situation of jostling and pushing.

This is the first Halloween festival in Korea that does not have to apply any regulations on masks and Covid-19 prevention in the past 3 years. The return of the festival has drawn crowds to the area since last night.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has now declared national mourning in memory of the victims. A Vietnamese witness present at the tragedy told in fear after fortunately escaping the crowd. After escaping from there and returning home, Minh Trung still has not recovered from what is happening. "This is the first time I've felt life and death so close," he said.

The fatigue and fear were even more evident when Trung was also the witness of the victims falling due to lack of oxygen: "That was the most torture in my life, it was like being pressed against my chest by a 5-ton elephant. Because they can't move because of their height, they can breathe air, other girls are shorter because they can't breathe, so they keep fainting a lot."

In my head at this moment, I just think to get out of here as quickly as possible, when I come out, I see the flow of people still going in (maybe everyone still doesn't know). And everyone inside was just getting out, crying while walking, saying: "Everyone, don't go in anymore, someone is already dead, I almost lost it too!". After listening to the line, people still feel confused, some people turn in and out, some people stand still as if they don't understand anything..." - a Vietnamese witness recounted.

The case is still continuing to be investigated and clarified.