2 Koreans, 6 Myanmarese, and 3 Indonesians
All Reported to Have No Major Health Issues
A cargo ship passing through the rough seas off Seogwipo, Jeju, where a storm warning had been issued, suffered flooding, but fortunately, all 11 crew members were safely rescued.
At around 9:55 PM on the 15th, the Busan-registered cargo ship Geumyang 6, carrying 11 crew members, was sinking while heavily tilted 61 km southwest off Seogwipo Port, Jeju. The Coast Guard is conducting a rescue operation. The photo shows the tilted Geumyang 6. [Image source=Jeju Coast Guard]
Photo by Jeju Coast Guard
On the 15th, the Seogwipo Coast Guard reported that at around 9:55 PM, they received a distress call from the Busan-registered cargo ship Geumyang 6 (1959 tons, 11 crew members) located 61 km southwest of Seogwipo Port, Jeju, stating "We are flooding, please rescue us." When the coast guard arrived at the scene at approximately 11:52 PM, the vessel was severely tilted more than 25 degrees to the left and sinking. The coast guard mobilized all available resources, including a 5,000-ton patrol ship and a helicopter, and after about an hour and a half, at around 1:30 AM on the 16th, they were able to rescue all 11 crew members: 2 Koreans including the captain, 6 Myanmar nationals, and 3 Indonesian nationals. The rescued crew sustained minor bruises but were reported to be in generally good health.
At the time of the accident, a storm warning was in effect in the area, with strong northwesterly winds blowing at 18 to 20 meters per second. Waves were also high, reaching 5 meters, making rescue operations difficult. The coast guard conducted the rescue by bringing a rescue boat alongside the stern, connecting it with ropes, and evacuating the crew members one by one onto the patrol ship.
The cargo ship, carrying steel plates, had departed from Gwangyang Port, Jeollanam-do at 3:02 AM on the 15th, heading to China, when it experienced an unexplained flooding incident. A coast guard official stated, "All 11 rescued crew members are in no life-threatening condition," and added, "The crew will be transported by patrol ship to Hwasun Port for an investigation into the cause of the accident."
Earlier, upon receiving the accident report, President Yoon Suk-yeol instructed the Minister of the Interior and Safety, the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, and the Commissioner of the Korea Coast Guard to "activate the civil-military cooperation system involving the navy, fishing vessels, and others, and for the navy and coast guard to mobilize all available personnel and equipment," emphasizing, "Saving the people on the tilting ship must be the top priority."
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