Hindi bababa sa 149 ang bilang ng mga taong nasawi samantalang mahigit sa 150 ang bilang ng mga nasaktan at nasugatan dahil sa malagim na nangyari sa pagdiriwang ng Halloween sa Itaewon, Seoul, South Korea, nitong Sabado ng gabi, October 29, 2022.
Naging tradisyon na ang Halloween celebration sa Itaewon District na pinupuntahan at dinarayo ng mga taong nakasuot ng mga nakamamanghang costume.
Tinatayang mahigit sa 100,000 ang bilang ng mga dumayo sa Itaewon kagabi para makisaya sa okasyong masaya sana pero humantong sa isang malungkot na pangyayari.
Sa inisyal na imbestigasyon, nagkatulakan ang mga tao nang pagkaguluhan ang isang kilalang YouTube celebrity sa isang makitid at pababang iskinita kaya nagkaroon ng domino effect na dahilan para patung-patong na madaganan nila ang isa’t isa.
Isang biktima na nadaganan sa malagim na insidente ang nagsabing isa at kalahating oras ang tumagal bago siya nailigtas ng rescue team. Ikinuwento niyang marami ang kinapos sa paghinga at sumisigaw na tulungan sila.
Makikita sa mga lumabas na video at larawan ang mga biktimang walang buhay na nakahandusay sa kalsada at ang mga nakaligtas na binibigyan ng cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) ng mga miyembro ng rescue team.
Nagpaabot ng pakikiramay sa South Korea ang buong mundo dahil sa kalunus-lunos na pangyayari na kumitil sa maraming buhay.
JONAS GAFFUD and co. WAS IN ITAEWON
Nasaksihan at naranasan nina Miss Universe Philippines Creative Director Jonas Gaffud, former PBB housemate Argel Saycon, at ng kanilang anim na kasama ang mga pangyayari dahil naroroon sila sa Itaewon District nang maganap ang insidente.
Ibinahagi ni Jonas ang kabuuan ng kanilang nakapanglulumong karanasan sa pamamagitan ng isang Facebook post, ilang oras matapos makabalik sa hotel na tinutuluyan.
Itinuturing nilang isang milagro na nakaligtas sila mula sa kapahamakan.
Lahad ni Jonas: “Reading all about the news now on what happened in Itaewon. It got scary when I thought I would die during the stampede. I was near an ambulance and I was hoping I could escape.
“But I was at the end so everyone was pushing each other towards me and I was pushing against the ambulance.
“I was holding Cheska Summer’s hand who was holding Mau De Leon. Then I lost both and I heard Cheska shouting ‘Mama!!!!!’
“I was lost pinned against the ambulance. I did not see Vince Lenard Marcelo and Prince Argel Saycon anymore but they were struggling somewhere too. James Reyes Marv Ayao got separated from our group.
“We were actually holding each other’s hands. I was relying on my shield and sword. Then I heard another familiar voice calling me.
“It was Eljohn Mendoza. I told him, 'Ano na gagawin natin?'
“Then I saw a slim girl who went in between the ambulance and another car. So I just followed her. Kumasya kami. I mean pang 24 inch waistline lang kasya.
“And if I were caught in between the cars, at tuloy ang stampede, wala na. Miracle talaga kumasya kami eh ang kapal ng suot ko. House of Targaryen pa kunwari ang costume ko!
“We left the area, looking at all the ambulance etc. I decided to enter a club and got a table. Kinaya pa di ba? Nag- inarte pa: I want a table!
“But it was so exhausting. We decided to go home, walked and waited for a cab for almost an hour.
“People were calling us if we were safe. Hindi talaga namin alam yung gravity ng situation pa rin sa sobrang dami ng tao kasi.
“Sa taxi, yun na mga news. And back in our room, now ko lang nakita yung nangyari talaga.
“That day we went to buy our costumes for Halloween. I already told the group I really don’t feel like going there as told by my friends. But not wanting to be the “kj”, I said 'sige punta na tayo.’
“I never thought it would be worse with so many people who died. I am really thankful, we were all able to get out of this situation and my deepest condolences to the beareved families.”
Higit na naging popular ang Itaewon dahil sa Itaewon Class, ang Korean television series na pinagbibidahan ni Park Seo-joon at kinahumalingang panoorin ng mga Pilipino noong 2020.
Related Stories:
- “Produce 101” Season 2 contestant Lee Ji Han among 154 dead in Itaewon Halloween tragedy
- Mga saksi sa Itaewon Halloween tragedy, sinisisi ang South Korean Police
- Kim Atienza at team ng "Dapat Alam Mo" nasaksihan ang trahedya sa Itaewon
- Jonas Gaffud recounts first-hand experience of Itaewon Halloween crush
- Jonas Gaffud, bumalik sa pinangyarihan ng Itaewon Halloween tragedy
- Mother of "Produce 101" contestant Lee Ji Han posts heartbreaking letter for son who died in Itaewon tragedy