Cheongboho Crew Member: "Ship Tilted at Departure"... Also Reported Frequent Water Leakage

On the morning of the 5th, the Navy and Coast Guard search and rescue teams are looking for missing persons from the capsizing accident of the Cheongboho off the west coast of Daebichi Island, Jaewon-ri, Imja-myeon, Sinan-gun, Jeollanam-do.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Gong Byung-sun] A crew member testified that the 'Cheongboho,' which capsized off the coast of Sinan, Jeollanam-do, was listing at the time of departure. It was reported that the ship had abnormalities, including frequent flooding.

According to the coast guard and rescue authorities on the 5th, one rescued crew member stated, "The captain and I always steer the ship, and from the moment we departed, the ship was leaning to the left," adding, "The ship was tilted about 5 degrees, so I told the chief engineer, 'Since the navigation time is long and the ship has two decks, it needs to be corrected immediately.'"

It is known that the ship had problems even under normal conditions. Another rescued crew member said, "The right engine of the ship was usually not in good condition," and added, "Water often leaked into the engine room on that side." Furthermore, it was reported that water leaked at the time of departure as well, but the amount was not large, so they continued to operate.

The capsizing of the ship also began as it started to flood. A Vietnamese crew member who was in the cabin at the time of the accident told the chief engineer that water was leaking, and when the chief engineer went inside the hull to check, he shouted that it was already filled with water. However, the rescued crew member testified that even the engine room was about half flooded, making it impossible to take any measures. Some crew members tried to escape from the ship, but the ship was already tilted, and fishing gear blocked the entrance, preventing their escape.

The 24-ton trap fishing vessel Cheongboho capsized at around 11:19 p.m. the previous day, 16.6 km west of Daebichi Island, Jaewon-ri, Imja-myeon, Sinan-gun, Jeollanam-do. Of the 12 people on board, 3 were rescued, but the remaining 9 have not yet been found.