Tragic Incident: Two Fishing Boats Stranded Off Jeju, Resulting in Two Fatalities
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Synopsis
On February 1, 2023, two individuals tragically died and two more went missing after two fishing boats ran aground near Jeju Island, South Korea. Rescue operations are ongoing amidst challenging weather conditions.
Key Takeaways
- Two fatalities reported after fishing boats ran aground.
- Rescue operations involve naval and civilian vessels.
- Two crew members still missing amidst adverse weather.
- Thirteen rescued crew members, with some suffering from hypothermia.
- Authorities mobilize all resources for rescue efforts.
Jeju, Feb 1 (NationPress) Tragically, two individuals in South Korea lost their lives and two others remain unaccounted for on Saturday after two fishing vessels, with a total of 15 crew members, ran aground near the southern resort island of Jeju, as reported by the coast guard.
The coast guard indicated that they received information about a 32-ton fishing boat with seven crew members and a 29-ton vessel with eight crew members becoming stranded on a rock near Jeju Island at 9:24 am. By 3 pm, 13 crew members had been rescued, yet sadly, two individuals were pronounced dead.
Ongoing search efforts are focused on locating the two missing crew members. Among the rescued, the captain of the 32-ton vessel, who is in his 50s, was found in cardiac arrest and was taken to a hospital, where he was later declared dead.
An Indonesian crew member was located approximately four hours after the incident during search efforts along the coast but was also found in cardiac arrest and subsequently died. One of the rescued crew members collapsed and was hospitalized, although there appear to be no serious health concerns.
The remaining 10 crew members showed signs of hypothermia, but their conditions are not considered severe. A coast guard member sustained a hand injury after being struck by waves and hitting a rock during rescue operations. The captains of the two vessels are both South Korean, while the crew includes foreign nationals from Vietnam and Indonesia.
Authorities are intensifying search operations for the two missing crew members, though adverse weather conditions and high waves are complicating rescue efforts. The operations involve nine Navy patrol ships, a Navy warship, and six civilian vessels, with around 100 personnel dispatched to the coastal area to locate those missing, according to the Yonhap news agency.
Earlier on the same day, acting President Choi Sang-mok directed officials to utilize all available resources for the rescue operation and emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety of rescue workers amid the challenging weather conditions at sea.
