World swimming championships: 2 dead, 8 athletes among 16 injured in Korean nightclub

Two people died and 16 were injured, including eight athletes, after a balcony at a South Korean nightclub collapsed while the country was hosting the world swimming championships.

The incident happened next to the athletes’ village, in the southern South Korean city of Gwangju. Hundreds were reportedly in the nightclub at the time. The two people killed were South Korean, according to police, and 10 foreigners were among the injured, including eight swimmers who were taking part in the 2019 World Aquatics Championships.

The injured athletes include three Americans, two New Zealanders, one Dutch, one Italian and one Brazilian, according to South Korean media.

Emergency services rushed to help after people were injured in the crush
Credit: AP:Associated Press

South Korean firefighters and officials examine the collapsed structure of a nightclub
Credit: Reuters

RT