A North Korean Fishing Boat Suspected Vessel Drifts to Baengnyeongdo... Under Investigation by Authorities

Military source: "Not a military vessel, and no people onboard"

Baengnyeongdo Sea
Photo by Yonhap News Agency

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] A vessel presumed to be a North Korean fishing boat has drifted ashore on the northern coast of Baengnyeongdo, the northernmost island in the West Sea, and related agencies are conducting a joint investigation.

According to military officials on the 16th, around 9 a.m. that day, a 3-ton wooden fishing boat ran aground on the northern coast of Baengnyeongdo, Incheon.

A military official stated, "It appears that no one was on board, and it is not a military vessel," adding, "We detected the vessel drifting down from north of the NLL (Northern Limit Line) and monitored it."

The military authorities estimate that the vessel drifted from the North without its own power due to ocean currents, and they are investigating various possibilities including loss at sea. It is reported that the weather conditions in the northern waters were unfavorable that day.