The body of a motorcyclist who fell into a deep sinkhole in South Korea has been discovered, a Seoul fire department spokesperson has announced.
According to The Korea Herald, on Monday (March 24), a sinkhole about 65 feet deep suddenly appeared on a road, ensnaring a 33-year-old man.
The man, identified by the surname Park, was riding his motorcycle in the Myeongil-dong area of Seoul’s Gangdong-gu district when he was pulled into the sinkhole.
The sinkhole stretched across four lanes of road near the Hanyoung Foreign Language High School, as reported by The South China Morning Post.
A lengthy overnight search lasting 18 hours was conducted to locate the missing motorcyclist. Firefighters had to remove approximately 430,000 gallons of water that had filled the sinkhole.
The search effort also involved divers and a rescue dog, according to the publication.
Kim Chang-seop, an official from the Gangdong Fire Station, stated during a televised press conference that Park’s phone and his Japanese motorcycle were discovered before his body was found at 11.20am on Tuesday (25 March).
“He was buried at a depth of around 90cm and was found intact, still wearing his helmet and motorcycle boots,” he said, as per Reuters. “[We] regret that we are unable to deliver better news”.
Kim also noted that excavators, shovels, and other tools were employed to recover his body amid the debris.
The sinkhole’s cause remains unclear, though local officials suggested construction at a nearby subway line might be a ‘possible contributing factor’.
“Once the surrounding soil and debris are cleared, we will conduct a full investigation into the cause of the accident with a team of experts,” the release added.
Dashboard camera footage from the scene showed Park riding behind a car that managed to avoid the sinkhole, according to Reuters.
As the car passed safely, the motorcycle rider fell into the sinkhole.
A woman driving a van also drove over the area and sustained injuries, safety officers informed the Associated Press.
However, Kim later confirmed that she did not fall into the sinkhole.
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon visited the sinkhole site, urging authorities to investigate the cause of the incident and to prevent such occurrences in the future.
In response, safety protocols have been tightened, with officials stating, “We will implement safety measures to prevent possible casualties in the future.”