Four Arsonists Who Set Fire to Rival Fishing Boat Carrying 5 Caught... It Was a Planned Crime Practiced in Advance

An act of arson and fleeing the scene. [Image provided by Ulsan Coast Guard]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Hwang Du-yeol] Four arsonists who set fire to a rival fishing boat have been arrested by the police.

According to the Ulsan Coast Guard on the 24th, Mr. A, in his 50s, set fire to a 5.17-ton fishing boat docked at Seongoe Port in Nam-gu, Ulsan, at around 1:40 a.m. on the 3rd and fled.

The Coast Guard found evidence of Mr. A's arson by examining the fire scene, checking CCTV around the port, and reviewing black box footage from nearby vehicles.

Mr. A was caught on the 18th, 15 days after the arson, and stated that he was ordered by Mr. B (also in his 50s), the captain of another fishing boat. Two accomplices who helped with the arson also confessed.

Investigations revealed that the victim and Mr. B had a poor relationship and were competitors, and Mr. B decided to set fire to the fishing boat and ordered Mr. A to do so.

The Coast Guard arrested Mr. A and Mr. B on charges of general vessel arson and incitement to arson. Among the accomplices who helped with the arson, one was arrested on charges of aiding escape or delivering payment and funds for fleeing, while the other was booked without detention.

A Coast Guard official said, "We also identified circumstances indicating that the crime was premeditated and rehearsed. Although tracking the case was difficult due to the arsonists' meticulous and unusual escape route, we were able to arrest them through communication and inquiry investigations."

The fire spread to five nearby fishing boats, causing property damage worth approximately 850 million won.

There were no casualties, but the affected boat owners are reported by the Coast Guard to be trembling with anxiety over their livelihoods, having lost their fishing boats.

Seongoe Port also experienced an arson incident in April last year, and local fishermen are demanding the installation of high-definition CCTV for crime prevention.

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