South Korean Motorcyclist Found Dead 18 Hours After Falling Into Massive Sinkhole

A motorcyclist who fell into a massive sinkhole that opened on a Seoul street was discovered dead following an extensive overnight search, Seoul officials announced on Tuesday. According to the BBC, the unidentified man, in his 30s, was found in cardiac arrest around noon on Tuesday, after the sinkhole swallowed him as he drove by. The sinkhole measured approximately 65 feet in both width and depth, according to the Gangdong Fire Station.

Notably, the sinkhole suddenly appeared near an intersection in Seoul's Gangdong district around 6:30 p.m. local time on Monday. Emergency responders launched a search and rescue operation, eventually locating the motorcyclist around 11 a.m. local time on Tuesday. The victim, who was wearing a helmet and motorcycle boots, was found unconscious and without a pulse. Rescuers also recovered his Japanese-made motorcycle and mobile phone from the sinkhole.

Dashcam footage captured the moment when a car narrowly escaped the sinkhole, with its rear wheels barely clearing the edge. Immediately after, a motorcycle and its rider fell into the deep pit.  Authorities suspect that a ruptured water main pipe may have caused the road to collapse, leading to the massive sinkhole.

South Korean motorcyclist found dead 18 hours after plunging into a massive 20-meter sinkhole

He was unconscious when rescued and suffered cardiac arrest. pic.twitter.com/lNtqYd46ZY

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The 17-hour search operation was extremely challenging due to the presence of water and soil at the scene, which made it difficult for rescuers to navigate. Additionally, heavy machinery from a nearby construction site had become entangled, further complicating the rescue efforts, according to a fire station official.

"It was only after draining the area and deploying heavy equipment to remove the soil that we were able to locate the man," he added.

A woman in her 40s, who happened to be passing by the area just before the sinkhole appeared, sustained a minor injury and is currently receiving treatment at a hospital.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon visited the site of the massive sinkhole on Monday night, calling for an investigation into the cause of the incident and measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.  The cause of the sinkhole remains unknown. Seoul officials said they planned to conduct a "detailed and comprehensive investigation."