Nine people killed in South Korea as car ploughs into crowds of people
At least nine people have been killed and four others injured today in South Korea after a car ploughed into crowds of people in the capital Seoul, police said.
Six pedestrians were found dead at the scene near Seoul city hall, while three others were pronounced dead after being rushed to hospital, firefighter Kim Chun-soo said.
South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported that the 68-year-old driver crashed into people who were waiting at a traffic signal.
He was driving in the wrong direction and hit two other vehicles before ploughing into the pedestrians, Yonhap said.
The man was detained by police over the incident, said Kim Suk-hwan, safety and transport director at the city's Jung-gu district office.
Pictures taken at the scene show damaged vehicles and smashed glass and debris on the pavement.
Emergency services can be seen surrounding the crash site which has been cordoned off with tape and tents.
Investigations are underway to determine if drugs or alcohol were involved, as well as whether the deadly incident was caused by accidental acceleration, Kim said.
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon described it as 'a very sad accident' when he visited the crash site, according to city authorities.
He also ordered officials to 'take the victims to the hospital quickly and thoroughly identify the cause of the accident'. Deadly transport accidents with multiple casualties are rare in South Korea, which generally has well-maintained roads and vehicles.
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