Tributes have begun to flood in for Rached on social with her former employer, Electriclime Films executive producer Shahn Devendran, describing her as a “kind-hearted” individual.
“This is truly devastating news,” Devendran told this masthead.
The 23-year-old from Sydney was with three of her friends at Halloween festivities when tragedy stuck. Credit:Facebook
“Grace was a fun, friendly, kind-hearted and passionate individual who loved to make films and make people laugh. She will be deeply missed by her many family and friends, as well as her family here at Electriclime films.
“My thoughts are with her family and we would like to respect their privacy at this time.”
According to the film company’s website, Rached went to the University of Technology Sydney to complete a degree in media arts and production and joined the company as an intern before moving into a full-time role that required her to travel to various international destinations.
Rached described herself as a “sucker for Formula 1” and said she enjoyed fantasy films such as Lord of the Rings and Marvel movies.
A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman said on Sunday night that the Australian embassy in the South Korean capital of Seoul had been notified of the death of an Australian in the “tragic” incident.
Most of the 153 killed on Saturday night were in their 20s or 30s with more than 100 others injured, including 24 who were in a critical condition.
Ninety-seven of the fatalities were women and South Korean media reported up to 26 of the dead were foreign nationals, including from the US, Iran, China, Norway, Thailand and Uzbekistan.
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Many of the giant crowd were dressed in costume as they converged on Itaewon, a vibrant area of bars and restaurants to celebrate Halloween and let their hair down after the recent easing of COVID-19 restrictions.
Just a few hours later, however, the festivities took a tragic turn as partygoers collapsed and were trampled on in a crowded alleyway near an exit to the subway station.
Witnesses said the crowd surge caused “a hell-like” chaos as people fell on each other “like dominoes”.
Some people were bleeding from their noses and mouths while being given CPR, witnesses said, while others clad in Halloween costumes continued to sing and dance nearby, possibly without knowing the severity of the situation.
Witnesses said the streets were so densely clogged with people and slow-moving vehicles that it was practically impossible for emergency workers and ambulances to reach the alley swiftly.
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