Motorcyclist found dead in South Korea after plunging into 20-metre sinkhole

SEOUL — A motorcyclist who had plunged into a 20-metre deep sinkhole in South Korea's capital Seoul was found dead on Tuesday (March 25), a rescue official said, while the driver of a car had a narrow escape and suffered minor injuries.

The body of the 33-year-old man was found 50 metres away from the centre of the collapsed sinkhole in a subway tunnel under construction almost 20 metres from the surface, the fire rescue official Kim Chang-seob told a media briefing.

It took rescuers almost 18 hours to locate the motorcyclist after they had to pump out water and dig through dirt, as well as navigate past construction equipment and other debris, he said, adding the exact cause of death had yet to be determined.

City officials said the cause of the collapse was under investigation.

Dashboard camera footage showed the car bouncing violently as its rear wheels narrowly cleared the hole, followed by the motorcycle and the rider plunging into the chasm.

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Source: Reuters