Changwon Coast Guard is preparing to pump water by boarding a fishing boat sinking due to the impact of a collision. Photo by Changwon Coast Guard Station
At around 6 p.m. on the 1st, Armed Forces Day, a 9,000-ton cargo ship and a 4-ton fishing boat collided in the sea about 0.6 nautical miles (approximately 1.1 km) north of Jamdo, Jinhae-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongnam.
Upon receiving the report, Changwon Coast Guard dispatched patrol vessels, coastal rescue boats from the Sinhang, Jinhae, and Masan substations, as well as the Changwon rescue team, to carry out rescue operations.
According to the Changwon Coast Guard, of the 12 people aboard the fishing boat, which began to sink due to the impact of the collision, 11 were rescued by nearby fishing boats, and the captain was rescued by the Changwon Coast Guard and transported to Sokcheon Port in Jinhae.
Among the 12 rescued, except for a man in his 50s who complained of rib pain, the remaining passengers reportedly suffered only minor pain.
The 14 crew members aboard the cargo ship and the vessel itself reportedly sustained no significant damage.
The Changwon Coast Guard installed buoys on the flooded fishing boat, which had a damaged hull, and is carrying out drainage operations.
In addition, they are sealing the fuel valve and installing an oil containment boom to prevent fuel from leaking from the fishing boat.
The Coast Guard plans to investigate the exact circumstances of the accident by questioning the crew members of both vessels.
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