Seoul: Dashcam video captures moment motorcyclist falls in sinkhole, found dead after 17-hour search (WATCH)

A motorcyclist in Seoul died after falling into a massive 20-meter-deep sinkhole, prompting an investigation into the cause.

A motorcyclist who plunged into a massive sinkhole in South Korea's capital, Seoul, was found dead after a 17-hour-long search operation, officials confirmed on Tuesday.

The sinkhole, measuring approximately 20 meters wide and deep, suddenly opened at an intersection in the Myeongil-dong district on Monday afternoon. The incident resulted in the tragic death of the 33-year-old motorcyclist and caused minor injuries to a woman driving a passing van.

Rescue teams recovered the victim's body, along with his motorcycle and phone, before noon on Tuesday. According to fire rescue official Kim Chang-seob, the motorcyclist's body was found 50 meters away from the center of the collapse in a subway tunnel under construction nearly 20 meters below the surface. The search operation lasted almost 18 hours, as rescuers had to pump out water, dig through layers of dirt, and maneuver past construction debris and equipment.

Dramatic dashboard camera footage captured the moment of the collapse, showing a car violently bouncing as its rear wheels narrowly escaped the sinkhole, followed by the motorcycle and its rider disappearing into the abyss.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has ordered a thorough investigation into the cause of the collapse to prevent future incidents. City officials stated that the exact reason behind the sudden formation of the sinkhole remains unknown and is currently under investigation.