Photo: ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP / Getty Images
A motorcyclist who fell into a massive sinkhole in Seoul, South Korea, was found dead after an extensive search. The 34-year-old, identified as Mr. Park, vanished on Monday (March 24) when a 65-foot-wide, 65-foot-deep sinkhole suddenly opened at an intersection in the Myeongil-dong neighborhood of Gangdong District. His body was recovered 18 hours later, around 11:22 a.m. on Tuesday (March 25), according to local reports.
The sinkhole also caused minor injuries to a woman driving a van over the site. Emergency responders, including 40 rescue personnel, worked overnight using excavators and shovels to locate Mr. Park's body, which was found alongside his motorcycle and mobile phone. The search was complicated by water and soil mixed with heavy machinery from a nearby construction site.
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon visited the site and emphasized the need to determine the cause of the sinkhole to prevent similar incidents. Experts suspect poor infrastructure management, aging pipes, and ongoing subway construction might have contributed to the collapse. Schools near the sinkhole, including Seoul Daemyeong Elementary School, remained closed for safety reasons.
The incident has raised concerns about the city's infrastructure, prompting authorities to conduct a detailed assessment to identify the exact cause of the sinkhole. Mayor Oh assured the public that measures would be taken to ensure road safety and prevent future occurrences.