Yeosu Coast Guard Reports No Casualties in Fishing Boat Fire Near Geomundo Sea

290-ton Class Seine Fishing Vessel Fire Causes Partial Internal Damage

[Yeosu=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Cheol-hoon] The Jeonnam Yeosu Maritime Police Station (Chief Park Je-su) announced on the 2nd that "a fire of unknown cause occurred on a 290-ton purse seiner near Geomundo, but no casualties were reported."

According to Yeosu Maritime Police, at around 2:17 PM on the same day, a report was received that a fire broke out on the 290-ton fishing vessel A (large purse seiner, subsidiary registration, 10 crew members) about 920 meters southeast off Geomundo, Yeosu City.

A fire of unknown cause broke out on a 290-ton purse seiner near the waters off Geomundo, but no casualties were reported.
Photo by Yeosu Coast Guard

After receiving the report, Yeosu Maritime Police urgently dispatched coastal rescue boats and nearby patrol vessels, boarded the vessel A to secure the safety of the crew, and proceeded to extinguish the fire.

Heavy smoke was generated from the aft cabin and shower room of the vessel A, making it difficult to secure visibility, but the flames were extinguished using water after ventilating the smoke.

The maritime police extinguished the flame fire in the fire compartment and to prevent rekindling, towed the vessel to Geomundo Seodo Port, where they worked with Geomundo firefighters to complete the extinguishing of the latent fire after about four hours.

The vessel A was anchored at sea, and the chief engineer, after hearing the fire alarm, evacuated the crew to prevent casualties. He testified that flames and smoke initially occurred in the aft shower room area.

A Yeosu Maritime Police official stated, "We plan to clarify the cause of the fire through accurate statements from the captain and crew and fire investigation."

Yeosu=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Cheol-hoon hss79@asiae.co.kr