Man in His 50s Dies While Inspecting Ship at Jinhae Shipyard

Discovered During Search After Failing to Return from Solo Inspection
Police Investigate Cause of Death Through Autopsy

A man in his 50s who went to inspect ship facilities at a shipyard in Jinhae-gu, Changwon City, was found dead, and the police have launched an investigation.

A man in his 50s who went to inspect ship facilities at a shipyard in Jinhae-gu, Changwon City, was found dead, and the police have launched an investigation. Photo by Changwon City Jinhae-gu Shipyard Panorama

According to the police and fire authorities, between 4:48 p.m. and 5:09 p.m. on January 9, Mr. A was found unconscious by his colleagues beneath the internal stairs (or manhole) of the deck of a 50,000-ton oil tanker under construction at the Jinhae shipyard.

At the time, Mr. A was in cardiac arrest and was transported to the hospital, but was pronounced dead later that day.

Mr. A, who was responsible for design-related work and was an office worker rather than a field worker, reportedly left his office alone at around 11:40 a.m. on the day of the accident to inspect the ship's internal facilities.

When Mr. A did not return after lunch, his colleagues began searching for him as the end of the workday approached, and eventually discovered him in the process.

Mr. A was found at a point approximately 4.2 meters below the deck. The police explained that the area was not a completely sealed confined space cut off from the outside. So far, no signs of trauma such as a fall or collision have been found, and the exact cause of death has not yet been determined.

The police are working to determine the cause of death through an autopsy and are also investigating the circumstances of the accident and the state of safety management by questioning those involved at the site.