Vessel Carrying 5,000 Liters of Oil Sinks off Taean... All Crew Members Rescued

"We Plan to Mobilize All Available Personnel to Complete Containment Operations"

A 154-ton vessel sank after hitting a reef off the coast of Taean-gun, Chungnam Province.

At 11:33 a.m. on the 30th, a 154-ton tugboat sank after hitting a reef 2 km northwest of Mokgedo, Taean-gun, Chungnam Province. The photo shows the sunken tugboat. Photo by Yonhap News Agency and Taean Coast Guard

According to Yonhap News Agency on October 30, at approximately 11:33 a.m. that day, a 154-ton tugboat named A collided with a reef 2 kilometers northwest of Mokgedo, Taean-gun. Upon receiving a report of the vessel taking on water, the Taean Coast Guard immediately dispatched a patrol vessel, an inshore rescue boat, and a rescue team, successfully rescuing all four crew members on board. Fortunately, there were no casualties. However, the sunken tugboat A was carrying a total of 5,000 liters of oil, including 3,000 liters of bunker A oil and 2,000 liters of diesel.

In response, the Taean Coast Guard established an oil spill response headquarters and is conducting containment operations in cooperation with the Taean County Office, military units, and the Korea Marine Environment Management Corporation. A Coast Guard official stated, "We plan to mobilize all available personnel to complete the containment work during the neap tide, when the current is slow," adding, "We will also investigate the exact circumstances of the accident and the cause of the sinking."