A man in his 30s who took part in rescue efforts at the Oct. 29, 2022, Itaewon crowd crush was found dead 10 days after he went missing, according to reports.
According to the Incheon Ilbo and other outlets, police said they found the body of A (37) at about 11:57 a.m. on April 29 in the area of Wangbangsan in Seondan-dong, Pocheon.
A friend reported him missing to police on April 25, saying they had been unable to reach him since April 20. He was believed to have lost contact with family and acquaintances after leaving home that day.
Seoul’s Guro Police Station, which received the initial report, traced his last known location to near Wangbangsan. Police, riot units and firefighters conducted a joint search and found him 10 days after he disappeared.
Police said rigor mortis had set in when he was found, suggesting he had been dead for some time.
Reports said A ran a business near the Hamilton Hotel in Seoul’s Yongsan district, where the Itaewon disaster occurred, and helped move injured people during the rescue effort. He was said to have suffered severe post-traumatic stress disorder after the disaster and to have complained of trauma and depression while also struggling financially amid a downturn in the area’s commercial activity.
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* This article has been translated by AI.
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