Two American college students studying abroad were identified Sunday as the only American dead Among at least 153 people Who died crushing Halloween revelers in Seoul.
The institute’s president, Eli Capiloto, announced that Ann Gesick, a third-year nursing student at the University of Kentucky, was among those who died on the crowded streets Friday night. To school Sunday.
Capiloto said Jesek was from Northern Kentucky, and had been studying abroad in South Korea this semester.
Stephen Plessy, 20, of Marietta, Georgia, the other American hitherto known for his death was in the tragic squeeze of corpses packed into the narrow streets and alleys of the capital’s nightlife district of Itaewon.
His father, Steve Plessy, confirmed his death, saying that his son was in South Korea to study international business and learn Korean during the fall semester.
Capiloto said two other students from the University of Kentucky and one faculty member who is also abroad in South Korea are doing well.
The university president said school officials “have been in touch with Anne’s family and will provide all the support we can – now and in the coming days – as they deal with this unspeakable loss.”
Jeske’s father, Dan, released a statement to the family on Sunday: “We are deeply saddened and deeply saddened by the loss of Anne Marie. She was a shining light loved by all. We ask for your prayers but also respect for our privacy.”
Capiloto said the student’s death was hard to understand. “There are no suitable or appropriate words to describe the pain of a beautiful life that sums up,” he wrote.
Steve Plessy said in a text message that his son had just finished midterms and was partying with fellow students. Father said: He made a lot of friends in South Korea.
“He was having a great time,” he said. “If I could replace him, I would.”
The elder Plessy said the police should have been prepared and assigned officers to crowd control as an estimated 100,000 people gathered in the area.
Hoppers, students, and others have been able to celebrate their first Halloween en masse since 2019, before the pandemic stifled human contact.
“I can’t imagine the suffering she’s going through,” Plessy said. “The SK [South Korean] The police should have been better prepared.”
In a tweet, President Joe Biden expressed his sympathy. “Gil and I were stunned to learn that at least two Americans were among the many who lost their lives in Seoul,” he said. “Our hearts are with loved ones at this time of grief, and we continue to pray for all those affected to be healed.”
It did not appear that there was any single event, such as a concert or an outdoor party, that drew revelers to an area known for its crowded, wine-filled nights. For the police to be ready, they had to anticipate the unusually large crowds.
South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol said in a national address Sunday morning that this is a “disaster that should never happen.”
Yoon, who said he is ultimately responsible for the safety of the South Korean people, ordered an emergency review of what he called “Halloween festivals” in the region.
A spokesman for the US Embassy in Seoul confirmed the deaths of two Americans.
“Our staff in Seoul and colleagues in the United States are working tirelessly to provide consular assistance to the victims of last night’s accident and their families,” the spokesperson said.
The other foreign victims came from China, Iran, France, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Norway, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Austria and Kazakhstan, the Yongsan Fire Department said in a statement. Most of the victims were people in their late teens and twenties, said Choi Seong-beom, head of the Yongsan Fire Department in Seoul.
Although the incident was initially described as a stampede, the video appears to depict a crowd rusha wave of people advancing through a crowded crowd.
In an interview after crowds gathered at Houston’s Astroworld Festival, in which 10 people died, crowd management pioneer Paul Wertheimer explained what happens in crowded conditions, often during mass celebrations such as concerts and festivals.
Elements of such a tragedy often include “festival seating” where people are allowed to move anywhere, overcrowding in a limited area, and sometimes, a catalyst or “crowd frenzy” that triggers a one-way mass movement. Sometimes that’s a countdown, which can end in anticipation and anxiety, Wertheimer said.
In South Korea, it wasn’t clear if something was causing the masses to push in any particular direction. If a crowd is crushed, Wertheimer said, revelers can lose control of their direction, have difficulty breathing, sometimes raise their feet, and move horizontally, with some victims injured or dying even while standing.
The expert said injuries and impacts could include suffocation, cardiac arrest and broken bones with the crowd collapsing at the leading edge, resulting in some trampling-type injuries.
Officials said at least 133 people were injured, 23 of them in critical condition.
This is an evolving story. . Please check back for updates