Video: 19 Crewmembers Rescued from Sinking South Korean Product Tanker

Nineteen crewmembers were rescued by the Coast Guard from a South Korean product tanker that was taking on water in the Taiwan Strait. Reports indicate however that one additional crewmember died but the circumstances are unclear. The video appears to show the crew attending to an injured sailor during the evacuation.

The vessel, the 8,400 dwt South Korean registered Kelsey 2 radioed for assistance on October 15 after the vessel began taking on water and appears from the video to have lost stability and was listing. The video shot by the crew and now posted on YouTube shows the vessel rolling violently and safety lines strung. The crew was ordered into lifejackets but appears calm awaiting their rescue.

 

 

The 20-year-old product tanker departed Hong Kong on October 12 and was reportedly loaded with 7,500 tons of an unidentified cargo. The vessel had been due to arrive in Gunsan, South Korea on October 16.

A preliminary report indicates that the vessel began taking on water on the night of October 14. The following day the 394-foot tanker can be seen rolling with its deck partially awash. The last reported position places the tanker approximately 25 nautical miles south of Taiwan in the Taiwan Strait. 

The vessel was under the management of Eastern Tankers of South Korea. Reports indicate that the vessel capsized and later sank after the crew evacuation.