Seoul, Europe Brief News – 153 people were killed and dozens more injured in a Halloween crush in Seoul.
The country’s president declared a national mourning and ordered an investigation into the incident.
The Halloween crush is one of South Korea’s worst disasters and the world’s worst stampedes in decades.
The death count could further rise as 37 of the injured people were in serious conditions.
More than 80% of the dead — 97 women and 56 men — were in their 20s and 30s, but at least four were teenagers.
On Sunday, families and friends desperately sought word of loved ones at community centres that had become makeshift facilities for missing persons.
26 foreign nationals from 15 countries were among the reported victims.
France and Norway both confirmed that one of their country’s nationals killed. The other known foreign victims include at least four Chinese, four Russians, two Japanese, one American and at least one Iranian.
World leaders expressed sadness and condolences. US President Joe Biden and his wife, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, France’s President Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni were among many to send messages.
Pope Francis on Sunday offered his prayers to the victims of the crush, “young people in particular”, as he addressed the faithful in St Peter’s Square.
