Search Continues for 20s Coast Guard Member Who Disappeared Saying "Going to the Bathroom"... Focus on Possible Fall Accident

The coast guard is searching for the missing person. The photo is not directly related to the article content. (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] The search for a missing 20-year-old Coast Guard officer who was on duty at sea near Socheongdo, Incheon, in the northern West Sea, has entered its third day.

The Korea Coast Guard has informed North Korea and China of the incident, considering that the accident site is about 9 km south of the Northern Limit Line in the West Sea, and has requested cooperation in search and rescue operations.

According to the Coast Guard on the 12th, the search for Officer A (27), a member of the West Sea 5 Islands Special Guard Unit who went missing on the 518 patrol vessel, a 500-ton Coast Guard ship, on the 10th, is being concentrated in the waters near Socheongdo, Ongjin-gun, Incheon.

The Coast Guard deployed 15 vessels for the search that day, and the Navy supported with 5 ships. Additionally, 8 aircraft from the Coast Guard and the Navy and Air Force, 8 government vessels including fisheries guidance ships from the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and 6 civilian fishing boats are assisting in the search.

The previous day, the Coast Guard conducted a nighttime search using 27 vessels including Navy ships and 3 aircraft, firing flares, but no significant results were achieved.

Officer A went missing on the 10th while patrolling about 30 km southeast of Socheongdo, Ongjin-gun, Incheon, from the 518 vessel.

At the time, Officer A, who was on duty in the engine room of the ship, reportedly told a colleague around 1 p.m. that he was going to the restroom and then left his post.

CCTV installed inside the vessel captured Officer A walking toward the rear of the ship while on duty, but his image disappeared after moving into a CCTV blind spot.

On the 10th, a flare fired by a Coast Guard vessel illuminated the area near Socheongdo, Ongjin-gun, Incheon.
[Photo by Korea Coast Guard]

Officer A was assigned to the West Sea Special Unit in July and was known to be responsible for operating the engine room on the 518 vessel.

The Coast Guard is placing more weight on the possibility of an accidental fall, considering several circumstances including Officer A’s clothing at the time of disappearance.

According to the Coast Guard, Officer A was wearing the usual West Sea Special Unit uniform at the time but was not wearing a life jacket. The Coast Guard believes it is more likely that he accidentally fell rather than disappearing with items such as a life jacket or other equipment used at sea. They also considered that no farewell notes or similar items were found inside the ship.

However, the Coast Guard explained that further investigation is needed because Officer A did not return directly to the underground engine room after going to the restroom but moved toward the rear of the ship.

The Coast Guard plans to prioritize the search for the missing person and conduct an on-site investigation once the search operation is completed. They also plan to request the National Forensic Service to analyze the CCTV footage inside the vessel to accurately determine the circumstances of the accident on the day of disappearance.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.