A 20s Crew Member Holding Debris Waiting for Rescue
"Saved Thanks to Warm Water Temperature"
A Korean man who fell into the sea from a ship passing through Qatari waters was rescued after 24 hours, news that emerged belatedly.
According to the Qatari Ministry of Interior and the local Korean Embassy, on the night of the 23rd of last month (local time), a male crew member in his 20s, Mr. A, fell into the sea from a merchant ship passing near Doha waters.
In response, Qatar mobilized its Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard to conduct a search in the area, and the next day rescued Mr. A, who was floating in the sea. It was reported that Mr. A held onto a floating object he happened to find in the sea and waited for rescue for 24 hours.
The Qatari Ministry of Interior stated, "We conducted a large-scale search operation using helicopters and warships, and the rescued Korean was immediately transferred to Hamad Hospital in Doha for emergency treatment."
Local media reported that although Mr. A was in the seawater for a long time, he was able to survive thanks to the warm water temperature of about 27 degrees Celsius. The Korean Embassy in Qatar also expressed gratitude to the Qatari government for their active search efforts.
Lee Junho, the Korean Ambassador to Qatar, told the Qatari media The Peninsula, "Our citizen was successfully rescued thanks to the prompt and full support of the Qatari government," adding, "This shows the depth of the long-standing friendly relationship that Korea and Qatar have built over the past 50 years." He added, "Our strong friendship will be further strengthened in the future."
Meanwhile, Mr. A, who received hospital treatment for two days and was discharged, is expected to return to Korea soon.
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