Gwangju, South Korea, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Jul, 2019 ) :Two people died and 16 were injured, including eight athletes taking part in swimming's world championship, after a balcony collapsed under the weight of party-goers at a South Korean nightclub, local police said Saturday.

The balcony at the Coyote Ugly club close to the athletes' village was a mangled wreck after it gave way and plummeted around five metres (16 feet) onto people below, sending terrified clubbers running to the exit screaming.

"An internal balcony collapsed at a club in Gwangju, killing two," said Song Gi-ju, a detective with the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency.

"We have a total of 16 injured and among them 10 are foreigners. Of the 10, eight are athletes participating in the championships.

" Song said the two dead were locals and not involved in the swimming championships, adding that police were investigating the possibility the balcony may have been illegally constructed.

The eight injured athletes include three Americans, two New Zealanders, one Dutch, one Brazilian and one Italian. Police said earlier that among the Americans was a male diver and a female polo player.

"A structure collapsed all of a sudden with people standing on it. Screams filled the area with broken parts flying all over, said a 32-year-old who was injured in the collapse, according to South Korea's Kukmin Ilbo.

"The site of the collapse was at the centre of the club where customers were most heavily located," said the party-goer, surnamed Kim. </s> Two people have died and 10 others were injured after an internal balcony collapsed at a South Korean nightclub.

Two people have died and 10 others were injured after an internal balcony collapsed at a South Korean nightclub.

Hundreds were at the nightclub in the southern South Korean city of Gwangju when the incident occurred near the athletes’ village of the World Aquatics Championships, according to a local anti-disaster agency.

The dead are South Korean men, while the 10 injured include four foreigners — two Americans who were in Gwangju for the world swimming championships and two Uzbekistan exchange students, an agency official said.

The status of the injured was not immediately known. But South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported none of the injured are in critical condition.

Members of the US national water polo team were in the nightclub on Saturday. All are safe and accounted for, Christopher Ramsey, of USA Water Polo, said.

“This is an awful tragedy,” said he added.

“Players from our men’s and women’s teams were celebrating the women’s world championship victory when the collapse occurred at a public club. Our hearts go out to the victims of the crash and their families.” </s> Two people died and many more were injured, including two American athletes at the world swim championships, after a balcony collapsed in a South Korean nightclub, local police said Saturday.

"An internal balcony collapsed at a club in Gwangju, killing two and injuring many, though the number of those injured could increase," said Song Gi-ju, a detective with the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency.

"An autopsy is planned for the two tomorrow. The two, who are locals, are not related to the swimming competition. Among the injured, two are athletes -- one an American diver, male -- and the other an American polo player, female."

A 38-year-old and a 27-year-old were rushed to hospital in grave condition after the inside balcony gave away at around 2:30am Saturday, but both died from their injuries, according to local media, reporting that at least 10 people sustained injuries in the accident. </s> A collapsed internal balcony is seen at a nightclub in Gwangju, South Korea, Saturday, July 27, 2019. Members of the U.S. national water polo team were in a South Korean nightclub on Saturday when an internal balcony collapsed, killing at least one person. (Chun Jung-in/Yonhap via AP)

GWANGJU, South Korea (AP) — Members of the U.S. national water polo team were in a South Korean nightclub on Saturday when an internal balcony collapsed, killing at least one person.

A local news agency has reported that one person has died, with 13 injured. No U.S. swimmers were at the club at the time.

“This is an awful tragedy,” said Christopher Ramsey, CEO of USA Water Polo. “Players from our men’s and women’s teams were celebrating the women’s world championship victory when the collapse occurred at a public club. Our hearts go out to the victims of the crash and their families.”

Ramsay said all U.S. water polo athletes were safe and accounted for.

The American athletes are in Gwangju, South Korea, for the world swimming championships.

The incident occurred early Saturday in a nightclub next to the athletes’ village. </s> A collapsed internal balcony is seen at a nightclub in Gwangju, South Korea, Saturday, July 27, 2019. Members of the U.S. national water polo team were in a South Korean nightclub on Saturday when an internal balcony collapsed, killing at least one person. (Chun Jung-in/Yonhap via AP)

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A balcony inside a nightclub in South Korea collapsed on Saturday, killing two people and injuring 16, including American and other athletes at the world swimming championships, officials said.

Hundreds were at the nightclub in the southern city of Gwangju when the collapse occurred next to the athletes’ village.

Two South Korean men died while 16 others were injured, police said. According to a police account, the injured include 10 foreigners, eight of them athletes who were in Gwangju to participate in the swimming championships.

Among the athletes were three Americans, two New Zealanders, one Dutch, one Italian and one Brazilian, a police officer said, requesting anonymity ahead of an official announcement. He said most had minor injuries but an American female water polo player required surgery. The other two Americans — a man and a woman — are also water polo players, the police officer said.

Police said they detained one of the nightclub’s co-owners and summoned three other club officials to investigate whether the collapsed balcony was an unauthorized structure.

“This is an awful tragedy,” said Christopher Ramsey, CEO of USA Water Polo. “Players from our men’s and women’s teams were celebrating the women’s world championship victory when the collapse occurred at a public club. Our hearts go out to the victims of the crash and their families.”

Among the Americans, Kaleigh Gilchrist of Newport Beach, California, suffered a deep left leg laceration and underwent surgery at a hospital in Gwangju, said Greg Mescall, director of communications for USA Water Polo. He said Paige Hauschild of Santa Barbara, California, suffered lacerations on the right arm and Johnny Hooper of Los Angeles on the left hand that required stitches.

Ben Hallock of Westlake Village, California, suffered minor scrapes on the legs, he said.

The anti-disaster agency said the injured also included two Uzbekistan exchange students. None of the injured was in life-threatening condition.

Members of the New Zealand men’s and women’s water polo teams were also at the nightclub. The men’s captain, Matt Small, described a chaotic scene and said that his team tried to help the injured.

“(It was) business as usual and then it literally collapsed beneath our feet,” Small said, speaking to New Zealand Radio Sport by phone. “None of the boys are hurt or injured though — so that’s good. But everyone’s a bit shaken up at the moment.”

“We did what we could but we couldn’t really do too much. Some of them were pretty dire cases,” he said. “We were more so just concerned about everyone else, we were trying to do a number count and make sure all the boys were there.”

The local organizing committee for the world swimming championships said that eight of the athletes attending the event were injured, most slightly.

A committee statement said seven of them had already returned to the athletes’ village after minor treatments at hospitals. It said one player had a leg lacerated and was to receive stitches at a hospital.

The organizing committee said it won’t disclose other personal information about the athletes at the request of their national teams.

FINA, international swimming’s governing body, said in a statement that it was “carefully monitoring the situation and will activate all measures to ensure health care and assistance is provided whenever necessary.”

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• Troopers issue warning after 6 accidents in Richfield in 2 days </s> Gwangju, South Korea, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Jul, 2019 ) :Two people died and 10 were injured, including two American athletes at the world swimming championships, after a nightclub balcony collapsed in Gwangju, South Korea, early on Saturday morning, local media reported.

A 38-year-old and a 27-year-old were rushed to hospital in grave condition after an internal balcony gave away at 2:29am Saturday, but both died from their injuries, according to Yonhap news agency.

Among the injured were four foreigners, including an American diver and an American water polo player, reports added.

Pictures showed the mangled wreckage of the balcony which collapsed under the weight of party-goers and dropped around five metres (16 feet).

The New Zealand water polo teams were also present, according to the New Zealand Herald.

Men's captain told Radio Sport: "We were just dancing and then the next minute we dropped five or six metres and everyone started rushing out of the club after that. We, I guess, fell on top of the heads of other people that were beneath us."The world championships end on Sunday. </s> Two people died and many more were injured, including two American athletes at the world swim championships, after a balcony collapsed in a South Korean nightclub, local police said Saturday.

"An internal balcony collapsed at a club in Gwangju, killing two and injuring many, though the number of those injured could increase," said Song Gi-ju, a detective with the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency.

"An autopsy is planned for the two tomorrow. The two, who are locals, are not related to the swimming competition. Among the injured, two are athletes -- one an American diver, male -- and the other an American polo player, female."

A 38-year-old and a 27-year-old were rushed to hospital in grave condition after the inside balcony gave away at around 2:30am Saturday, but both died from their injuries, according to local media, reporting that at least 10 people sustained injuries in the accident.

"This is an awful tragedy," said Christopher Ramsey, CEO of USA Water Polo.

"Players from our men's and women's teams were celebrating the women's world championship victory when the collapse occurred at a public club.

"Our hearts go out to the victims of the crash and their families."

Ramsey added that all the American water polo players were "safe".

Pictures showed the mangled wreckage of the balcony that collapsed under the weight of party-goers and dropped around five metres (16 feet).

The New Zealand water polo teams were also present, according to the New Zealand Herald.

Their men's captain told Radio Sport: "We were just dancing and then the next minute we dropped five or six metres and everyone started rushing out of the club after that.

"We, I guess, fell on top of the heads of other people that were beneath us." </s> Athletes taking part in swimming's World Aquatics Championships were injured in an accident in South Korea, where a balcony collapsed. There were eight athletes present.

The balcony at the Coyote Ugly club close to the athletes' village was a mangled wreck after it gave way and plummeted around five metres (16 feet) onto people below, sending terrified clubbers running to the exit screaming.

"An internal balcony collapsed at a club in Gwangju, killing two," said Song Gi-ju, a detective with the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency.

"We have a total of 16 injured and among them 10 are foreigners. Of the 10, eight are athletes participating in the championships." Song said the two dead were locals and not involved in the swimming championships, adding that police were investigating the possibility the balcony may have been illegally constructed.

The eight injured athletes include three Americans, two New Zealanders, one Dutch, one Brazilian and one Italian. Police said earlier that among the Americans was a male diver and a female polo player.

"A structure collapsed all of a sudden with people standing on it. Screams filled the area with broken parts flying all over, said a 32-year-old who was injured in the collapse, according to South Korea's Kukmin Ilbo.

"The site of the collapse was at the centre of the club where customers were most heavily located," said the party-goer, surnamed Kim.

A 38-year-old and a 27-year-old were rushed to hospital in grave condition but both died from their injuries, according to local media.

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The world championships organising committee said the eight athletes were treated for minor injuries and have returned to their accommodation. Another will have stitches on a leg wound Saturday.

"This is an awful tragedy," said Christopher Ramsey, CEO of USA Water Polo.

"Players from our men's and women's teams were celebrating the women's world championship victory when the collapse. Our hearts go out to the victims of the crash and their families." Ramsey added that all the American water polo players were "safe".

The Australian water polo team were also present but escaped without injury.

The New Zealand men's captain told Radio Sport: "We were just dancing and then the next minute we dropped five or six metres and everyone started rushing out of the club after that.

"We, I guess, fell on top of the heads of other people that were beneath us." Swimming's world body FINA said it would "activate all measures to ensure health care and assistance is provided whenever necessary".

"FINA deeply regrets the situation and sends its best wishes to any victims of this accident," it added. </s> Image copyright AFP Image caption Several hundred people were in the Coyote Ugly club when the balcony collapsed

Two people have died and more than 17 were injured, after an internal balcony collapsed at a nightclub in the South Korean city of Gwangju early on Saturday, the local fire service says.

Several athletes at the World Swimming Championships were slightly injured, Yonhap news agency reported.

They are from the US, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Italy and Brazil.

Two South Koreans were taken to hospital in a serious condition and later died, Yonhap reports.

The deceased were 38 and 27, and were not competitors at the championships.

A balcony and staircase inside the Coyote Ugly nightclub collapsed at 02:29 on Saturday (17:29 GMT Friday), while about 370 people were inside.

At the time, several water polo teams were at the club, which is near the athletes' village.

A male diver and a female water polo player from the United States team were slightly hurt.

"This is an awful tragedy," said Christopher Ramsey, head of USA Water Polo.

"Players from our men's and women's teams were celebrating the women's world championship victory when the collapse occurred at a public club.

"Our hearts go out to the victims of the crash and their families."

Image copyright AFP Image caption Rescuers were soon on the scene at the club

"We were just dancing and then the next minute we dropped five or six metres and everyone started rushing out of the club after that," New Zealand's men's water polo captain Matt Small told Radio Sport.

It was "business as usual and then it literally collapsed beneath our feet," he added.

Members of the Australian water polo team were also in the club.

"All Australian players are safe and escaped without injury," a statement from Water Polo Australia said.

The 2019 Fina World Swimming Championships end on Sunday.

"Fina deeply regrets the situation and sends its best wishes to any victims of this accident." said a statement from the world swimming body.
Two people die and more than 17 are injured when an internal balcony collapses at a nightclub in the South Korean city of Gwangju.