SAR Operation After Gas Tanker Hits Fishing Trawler off South Korea
The Ulsan Coast Guard was conducting a search and rescue operation on Thursday, June 25, after a small gas tanker hit a fishing boat. The crew of the fishing boat was thrown into the water while their trawler quickly sank.
The issue drew high-level government attention with reports that President Lee Jae Myung was briefed and instructed that a full-scale mobilization should be undertaken. The local municipal government said it was also monitoring the situation, while the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said it would be overseeing the investigation.
The 79-foot fishing boat Dong-A No. 3, which was 79 tons, departed the Busan port at around 1:20 a.m. local time. It was approximately 23 nautical miles southeast of the Daebyeon Port, which is located north of Busan. It had a crew of eight aboard.
The 1,300-dwt Gas Broadway, an LPG carrier, had departed Ulsan at around 7:30 a.m. local time with the reports of the collision at around 10:10 am local time. The crew of the trawler was believed to be fishing at the time, and it was unclear if they were wearing safety equipment.
The eight individuals were all thrown into the water, and the trawler quickly sank in waters approximately 140 meters in depth. The crew aboard the LPG tanker was able to recover six of the crewmembers, who were all reported to be experiencing hypothermia.
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The Ulsan Coast Guard launched a search for two missing crewmembers. They were reported to be in their 30s and from Indonesia. The captain of the traveler, a South Korean in his 60s, was in critical condition and was immediately taken to a hospital. He was pronounced deceased on Thursday afternoon.
The 12 crew aboard the LPG tanker reported to be uninjured. The vessel returned to a berth, and an investigation is beginning into the circumstances of the collision.