An inflatable life jacket distributed by the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives saved a fisherman.
According to the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives on the 5th, at about 8:50 p.m. on the 3rd, fishing boats collided while operating near Hansando, Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang, and a captain who was fishing alone fell into the sea.
In the dark night sea, facing danger in still-chilly waters, a life jacket distributed by the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives saved a life. The captain wearing the life jacket was quickly rescued by a nearby fishing boat.
The captain is known to have regularly taken part in safety-at-sea training for fishers conducted by the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives and in the "life jacket wearing challenge."
An official at the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives said, "This is a representative case showing that wearing a life jacket is more than a simple safety rule; it is the most basic protective gear that actually saves lives," adding, "The captain's habit of wearing a life jacket saved a life."
According to research by an international fisheries organization, the survival rate of those wearing life jackets in maritime accidents reaches about 83%. On Jan. 1, a coastal fishing boat flooded and sank while sailing, but all crew members were rescued because everyone was wearing life jackets.
The National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives plans to continue promoting the "life jacket wearing campaign practiced by fishers" to establish a culture of wearing life jackets through the voluntary participation of fishers.
U Dong-geun, deputy head of education support at the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives, said, "Starting July 1, the wearing of life jackets will be mandatory for crew working on exposed decks," adding, "We will continue campaigns so that a culture of fishers protecting their own safety can take root in the field."