A fishing boat capsized off the coast of Jeju, and the coast guard initiated a rescue operation.
According to the Jeju Regional Coast Guard Office, at approximately 7:56 p.m. on the 12th, an emergency signal was received from the 32-ton offshore longline fishing vessel A, which is registered in Seogwipo, approximately 12 kilometers southwest of Pyoseon-myeon, Seogwipo City.
Upon receiving the report, a 500-ton coast guard vessel dispatched to the scene discovered A in an overturned state.
According to the port entry management system, A had a total of 10 people on board, including 6 Koreans and 4 foreigners, and the coast guard reported that 5 individuals have been rescued so far. The nationalities of the rescued crew members are as follows: ▲ 3 from Vietnam ▲ 1 from Indonesia ▲ 1 from Korea. The Korean national is the captain.
Among the 5 rescued individuals, 3 were rescued from a lifeboat, 1 from the hull, and 1 while drifting at sea. Some of those rescued are reportedly experiencing hypothermia but are not in life-threatening conditions. The coast guard plans to transport them to Gangjeong Port in Seogwipo.
The coast guard is continuing search and rescue operations for the remaining crew members. Currently, 12 coast guard vessels, coast guard rescue teams, special forces, 2 inshore rescue boats, 3 Navy and local government vessels, 4 civilian fishing boats, and 1 aircraft have been mobilized.
A strong wind warning is in effect in the area, with winds blowing at 18 to 20 meters per second and wave heights reaching 3 meters.
Choi Sang-mok, acting president and Minister of Strategy and Finance, said regarding the fishing boat capsizing incident, "Mobilize all available equipment and personnel, including coast guard vessels and underwater rescue team members, to prioritize rescuing lives," and requested, "Please actively support the personnel and equipment that can be mobilized for the Seogwipo maritime rescue operation to ensure that the on-site rescue activities proceed smoothly." He also noted, "Please make every effort to identify missing persons for accurate crew member verification and ensure the safety of rescue workers in consideration of local maritime weather conditions."
The acting Minister of the Interior and Safety also urgently instructed, "Relevant agencies, including the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the Coast Guard, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, and Seogwipo City, should mobilize all available resources to make every effort for rescue operations."
The Minister of Oceans and Fisheries also directed, "Make every effort for rescue and search operations by mobilizing all available means, and coordinate with nearby vessels and the coast guard to minimize loss of life." The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries issued a crisis alert level 'alert' at approximately 8:18 p.m. following the coastal fishing vessel incident emergency response manual.