The 60-something female worker who went missing after a Navy submarine fire at the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Ulsan Shipyard on the 9th was found about 2 hours and 40 minutes later, but rescue work is struggling due to the cramped interior layout.
According to fire authorities, at about 4:38 p.m. that day, a woman in her 60s affiliated with a partner company was found collapsed in an underground space of the submarine. The spot where she was found is below the first-floor living quarters of the submarine, about 1 meter from the floor hatch.
The woman was identified as an employee of a partner company in charge of sea trials who had been assigned to interior cleaning work on the submarine. So far, there has been no sign of life.
Fire authorities are continuing rescue operations, but access to the site is difficult. The entryway leading to the space is so narrow that only one adult can barely pass, and the interior is packed with various equipment such as cables, pipes, and oxygen tanks, effectively limiting the deployment of rescue personnel and gear.
During the rescue, smoke of unknown origin occurred and the operation was temporarily halted. In addition to electrical switches melting due to the fire, water that flowed into the hull during firefighting has raised concerns about short circuits or additional fires.
The cause of the fire has not yet been clearly determined, but for now it is believed likely to have started in the submarine's battery room. The shipyard labor union said, "There is testimony from a worker that a blue flame sparked in the battery room just before the fire."
An official at the Ulsan Fire Headquarters said, "We are working with company officials to rescue the person," but added, "The location where the person is located is so confined that even one person can barely enter, so it is expected to take considerable time to complete the rescue."
The fire broke out at about 1:58 p.m. that day, and of the 47 workers inside the submarine at the time, all 46 except for the woman in her 60s evacuated.
The submarine involved in the accident is the Navy's Type 214 "Hong Beom-do," which was undergoing overhaul. The vessel has a displacement of 1,800 tons and a length of 65.3 meters, and was built by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and delivered to the Navy in 2018.