Crew Members Missing from Pollock Fishing Vessel... 7 Indonesian Crew Missing, 1 Found Dead

The Korea Coast Guard boarding vessel A for investigation. [Image source=Changwon Korea Coast Guard Station]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Seryeong] On the 9th, one crew member was found dead floating on the water off Gajodo Island, Geoje City, Gyeongnam Province.

According to Changwon Coast Guard, at 7:34 a.m. on the 9th, seven Indonesian crew members went missing after unauthorized departure from the 5,000-ton-class offshore fishing vessel A, registered in Busan, which was anchoring 1.6 km east of Gajodo Island.

The crew members who left the offshore fishing vessel without permission were 32-year-old R, S, Y, 25-year-old I, 24-year-old T, 22-year-old A, and 21-year-old W, among whom S was found deceased.

S was discovered around 8:57 a.m. near the Seongpo-ri pier in Sadeung-myeon, Geoje City, by an officer from the Tongyeong Coast Guard Gohyeon Substation who was patrolling the nearby waters.

The Coast Guard reported that S was found wearing a life jacket about 2 km away from where vessel A was located, with no unusual external injuries.

The vessel was a ship catching pollock in Russian waters, carrying 12 Koreans and 45 foreigners.

Due to the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine, the ship had been anchored at sea since April 19 without being able to enter Russian waters, the Coast Guard stated.

A representative of vessel A testified that all crew members were present until 1 a.m. on the 9th, but upon checking the crew at around 7:30 a.m., it was discovered that seven Indonesian crew members had disappeared.

Changwon Coast Guard and the Navy are investigating the background of the crew members' unauthorized departure based on witness statements, and are searching for the missing crew using two helicopters, one Navy fixed-wing aircraft, and eight vessels.

Army 39th Division and other land military and police personnel are conducting searches of the surrounding waters and coastal areas, as well as conducting inspections and searches at Geoje City entry points such as Geoga Bridge and Geoje Bridge.

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