Australia's women's water polo players are unhurt but "deeply shocked" after a deadly balcony collapse at a nightclub where they were celebrating after claiming bronze at the world championships in South Korea.
Two South Koreans were killed, according to a fire department official, and more than 13 others were injured when an internal balcony collapsed at the Coyote Ugly nightclub in Gwangju about 2:00am local time.
Water Polo Australia confirmed members of the Australian team were celebrating their win over Hungary in the bronze-medal match at the FINA world championships when the incident occurred.
"All Australian players are safe and escaped without injury," a statement said.
A Water Polo Australia spokeswoman added the team members were "deeply shocked" after witnessing the collapse.
Two members of New Zealand's water polo team suffered minor injuries in the incident at the club, which is next to the athletes' village.
"New Zealand players assisted and supported those directly affected, along with supporting Korea authorities," a statement from New Zealand Water Polo said.
Footage from the nightclub shows the moments after the collapse, with patrons standing on a bar, trying to hold up what is left of the balcony.
New Zealand men's team captain Matt Small said he felt the floor collapse beneath the team.
"We were just dancing and then the next minute we dropped five to six metres and everyone started rushing out of the club after that," he told New Zealand's Radio Sport.
"We, I guess, fell on top of the heads of other people that were beneath us."
He said members of the team were trying to help in the aftermath but they could only do so much.
"Some of them were pretty dire cases," he said.
"We were more so just concerned about everyone else [on the team], we were trying to do a number count and make sure all the boys were there.
"And everyone was fine — so pretty relieving stuff but at the same time pretty chilling."
A number of other teams were also at the venue, with Yonhap news agency reporting nine athletes competing in the world championships were injured, though none of them seriously.
In addition to the two from New Zealand, they included four from the United States and one each from the Netherlands, Italy and Brazil, Yonhap said, citing city and fire department officials.
The CEO of USA Water Polo, Christopher Ramsey, described the event as "an awful tragedy".
World swimming's governing body FINA said it was "carefully monitoring the situation and will activate all measures to ensure health care and assistance is provided whenever necessary".
"FINA deeply regrets the situation and sends its best wishes to any victims of this accident."
ABC/Reuters
