Kim Hee-cheol, CEO of Hanwha Ocean, expressed his condolences, saying, "I extend my heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved family of the deceased who ended their life in a faraway foreign land."
According to Hanwha Ocean on the 4th, CEO Kim noted in an apology statement that "an unfortunate incident occurred the previous day at the Hanwha Ocean Geoje business site. A test equipment supervisor from a Brazilian shipping company fell into the sea and met their fate."
Kim stated, "I pray for the peaceful repose of the deceased" and added, "Hanwha Ocean will do its utmost to support the bereaved family. Furthermore, I deeply convey my sorrow to the Brazilian government and the Brazilian shipowner."
He continued, "We have suspended related operations immediately after confirming the accident and are investigating the cause of the incident," and said, "We will actively cooperate with relevant authorities to clarify the cause of the accident while also preparing measures to prevent recurrence."
He promised, "To the local residents and the public who were surprised by the news of the accident, I vow to work towards creating a safer establishment" and added, "I will move forward with the mindset of not compromising on the safety of our company members."
The accident occurred at around 11:56 a.m. on the 3rd when a problem arose with a ship structure at the Hanwha Ocean shipyard in Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province, causing a Brazilian national supervisor to fall about 10 meters into the sea. The supervisor was found unresponsive immediately after the accident, underwent cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and was transferred to a hospital, but ultimately passed away.