Rescue authorities, including the coast guard, are conducting nighttime search operations on the second day after the accident to find nine missing persons from the 24-ton trap fishing vessel Cheongboho, which capsized off the west coast of Daebichi Island, Imja-myeon, Sinan-gun, Jeollanam-do. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Gong Byung-sun] The second nighttime search has begun to find the missing persons from the overturned trap fishing vessel 'Cheongboho' off the coast of Sinan, Jeollanam-do.
On the 5th, the Coast Guard and other rescue authorities expanded the search area near Daebichi Island, Sinan-gun, Jeollanam-do, and launched a focused nighttime search.
A crane ship has been deployed for the nighttime search. The 200-ton crane ship departed from Odo Wharf, Amtae-myeon, Sinan-gun at around 3:50 PM and headed to the accident site. The crane ship is expected to arrive at around 8:20 PM.
The maritime search area will also be expanded. This is because there is a possibility that the missing persons did not remain inside the vessel but drifted out to sea. The search area will be divided into nine zones, covering 44.4 km east to west and 30 km north to south, centered on the accident site. The nighttime search will involve 22 Coast Guard vessels, 5 Navy vessels, 4 government vessels, 2 Coast Guard aircraft, and 2 military aircraft.
The Cheongboho, a 24-ton trap fishing vessel registered in Incheon, capsized at around 11:19 PM the previous day, 16.6 km west of Daebichi Island, Imja-myeon, Sinan-gun. Of the 12 crew members on board at the time of the accident, 3 were rescued, but the captain, the chief engineer, and 7 others have not yet been found.
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