One still missing after subway collapse in South Korea

Gwangmyeong

Search operations continued for the second day in Gwangmyeong, just south of Seoul, after a subway construction site collapsed Friday afternoon, leaving one worker still missing.

The incident occurred at 3:13 p.m. on the Sinansan Line site, causing a road to cave in and several nearby buildings to be damaged. Authorities initially lost contact with five workers. Three were soon found safe, while a fourth — a man in his 20s operating an excavator — was rescued 13 hours later, 30 metres underground.

Search teams are now focusing on locating the fifth worker, a man in his 50s. Seven rescue dogs and heavy machinery are being used, but efforts are being hampered by the inability to track the man via his mobile phone.

Rescuers are racing against weather conditions, as up to 40 mm of rain, along with thunder and lightning, are expected through early Sunday morning. Officials aim to complete operations before heavy rain begins.

The area had been evacuated earlier Friday after cracks were found in pillars. About 2,400 residents were told to leave but were allowed to return after midnight once safety checks were completed. Around 220 evacuees stayed in shelters overnight.

Police have launched an initial investigation to find out why the site collapsed. They say rescue remains the top priority before determining exact causes.