"Save the Grandmother!"... Police Officers Jump into Freezing Winter Sea for Rescue

Elderly Woman with Dementia Falls from Coastal Road in Wando, South Jeolla
Inspectors Kim Sungwoo and Kim Shinwoong Respond Swiftly and Rescue Her

An elderly woman in her 80s who fell into the freezing winter sea was saved thanks to the quick response and rescue efforts of two patrolling police officers.

According to the Wando Police Station in South Jeolla Province on January 28, an accident occurred at around 11:25 a.m. on January 5, when Ms. A (88, female) fell into the sea from a coastal road in a village in Geumil-eup, Wando County.

Kim Sungwoo and Kim Shinwoong, police inspectors, are rescuing an elderly dementia patient in his 80s who fell into the sea on the coastal road of Geumil-eup, Wando County. Provided by Wando Police Station

At the time, Inspectors Kim Sungwoo and Kim Shinwoong from the Geumil Police Substation of Wando Police Station were patrolling the coastal road when they saw Ms. A suddenly disappear from view about 200 meters ahead. Sensing something was wrong, the two officers immediately drove their patrol car to the scene and began searching the area.

Soon after, they found Ms. A barely holding onto a buoy in the cold seawater, which was about 3 meters deep. The officers attempted to rescue her by throwing a life ring from the patrol car, but due to her advanced age, Ms. A was unable to get out of the water on her own.

Recognizing the urgency of the situation, Inspector Kim Shinwoong immediately jumped into the sea and helped Ms. A put on a life jacket. Inspector Kim Sungwoo then used a boat pole to safely guide both of them to the stairs on the pier, 30 meters away.

Ms. A, who was rescued, was transported to a nearby hospital by 119 emergency services and received treatment. She is now reported to have recovered her health. According to the police investigation, Ms. A, who suffers from dementia, had been taking a walk along the coastal road when she fell into the sea while trying to retrieve an item that had dropped beyond the guardrail.

The two officers stated, "We were able to respond quickly by promptly noticing unusual signs during our patrol," adding, "We are truly relieved that we were able to rescue the elderly woman safely."