3 Dead, 7 Missing in Yeosu Fishing Boat Sinking... Ministry of the Interior and Safety Activates Countermeasure Headquarters

Search for Missing Persons and Support for Victims

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety will activate the Ministry's Countermeasure Support Headquarters in response to the fishing vessel sinking accident that occurred near Habakdo, Yeosu-si, Jeollanam-do.

On the 9th, the Ministry announced that by activating the Countermeasure Support Headquarters, it will establish a cooperative system with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, local governments such as Jeollanam-do and Busan, and take charge of searching for missing persons and supporting victims.

Yonhap News

The Countermeasure Support Headquarters is headed by Hong Jong-wan, Director of Social Disaster Division at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and is composed of the Situation Management General Team (Agriculture, Livestock and Marine Disaster Response Division, Disaster Relief Division, Disaster Resource Management Division, Recovery Support Division) and the On-site Recovery Support Team (Recovery Support Division).

Prior to activating the Countermeasure Support Headquarters, the Ministry dispatched three on-site situation managers to the accident area to support response and recovery operations on site.

Director Hong held a situation assessment meeting with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Ministry of National Defense, fire and police departments, Busan City, and Jeollanam-do, stating, "Please minimize casualties through the Navy's participation in search and rescue and rescue efforts using nearby fishing vessels."

Ko Ki-dong, Acting Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, also instructed immediately after the accident, "Jeollanam-do, Yeosu City, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the Korea Coast Guard, and related agencies must mobilize all available resources to fully commit to searching and rescuing the fishing vessel." He also urged special attention to the safety of rescue workers during the search and rescue process.

Earlier that day, at around 1:41 a.m., a large trawler, the 22 Seogyeongho, carrying 14 people capsized about 17 km east of Habakdo. So far, 7 people have been rescued and 3 have died.