Marine missing without life jacket... Found dead after 14 hours

Found in Cardiac Arrest During Night Search Operation
Transported While Receiving Salute from Comrades with Taegeukgi Sign
Bereaved Family in Tears... Funeral Arrangements Including 'Haebyeongdaejang' Under Discussion

A Marine who was swept away by a rapid current while searching for missing persons at a flood site without a life jacket was eventually found dead 14 hours after going missing.

According to military authorities on the 19th, at around 11:08 p.m. that day, authorities searching at night discovered Private Chae Mo (20), a member of the 1st Marine Division Artillery Battalion, 400 meters downstream from Gopyeonggyo Bridge on Naeseongcheon Stream in Yecheon-gun, Gyeongbuk. Private Chae was found lying face down underwater in a state of cardiac arrest.

At 12:47 AM on the 20th, a helicopter carrying a soldier who went missing during a search at Gyeongbuk Yecheon Stadium and was found dead took off while receiving salutes from comrades.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

The fire department stated, “The special rescue team and drone team confirmed Private Chae during the night search and recovered him,” adding, “The determination of death must be made at the hospital.”

Private Chae, who was moved to Yecheon Stadium, was transported to the Navy Pohang Hospital by the Marine 'MarinOn' helicopter at around 12:45 a.m. that day, covered with the Taegeukgi flag and saluted by his comrades.

Family members of Private Chae, who were staying near the search site, also received the news and headed to Navy Pohang Hospital. The family mourned, saying, “If only he had worn a life jacket, he would have survived,” and “Oh no, oh no.”

The Marine Corps Command plans to hold a Marine Corps-level funeral for Private Chae. However, a Marine Corps official stated, “The funeral and veterans’ affairs procedures for the fallen Private Chae will be decided after consultation with the bereaved family.”

Search Operation Conducted by Forming a 'Human Chain' Without Life Jackets

On the afternoon of the 19th, the 119 rescue team transported the body of a missing Marine soldier, who was being searched for near Gopyeonggyo Bridge in Yecheon, Gyeongbuk, by ambulance. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The day before, Private Chae and two others deployed to the flood site in Yecheon formed a 'human chain' with about 20 fellow soldiers in the Naeseongcheon area near Bomun Bridge to search for missing persons when the ground suddenly collapsed, and they were swept away by the rapid current.

Two of the soldiers who fell into the water with Private Chae barely managed to swim out, but Private Chae was swept away while shouting, “Help me, help me,” and went missing. At that time, the Marines entered Naeseongcheon wearing boots without life jackets or even ropes.

The accident site was a place where a large amount of muddy water was flowing rapidly due to heavy rain over the past few days. A resident, known as the first reporter, told Yonhap News, “A Marine officer came running urgently and requested a 119 emergency call,” adding, “Naeseongcheon is a sandy river and different from a normal river. They should have searched along the riverbank or on foot, so I couldn’t understand why they went into the middle.”

"Is a Life Jacket That Expensive?" Parents in Tears

On the morning of the 19th, Marines and fire authorities are searching for a Marine soldier who went missing after being swept away by a rapid current in the Yecheon-gun area of Gyeongbuk.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Private Chae was reportedly the only son born after his parents’ 10 years of marriage. His father, immediately after his disappearance, cried out to the company commander, “The current was strong, did you put a life jacket on him? It rained heavily until yesterday, so why didn’t you put a life jacket on him?” He lamented, “Is a life jacket that expensive? The current was so strong. Isn’t this murder? Murder.”

He continued, “Where is the military that doesn’t even put on life jackets? They don’t even follow the basics,” and said, “I talked to him for just two minutes last night. I told him to be careful of the water. Oh, I can’t live.”

His mother sobbed, “Our son was such a good boy, but this happened. He wanted to join the Marine Corps so badly, but I told him not to go, yet he went. Where is he now? My son,” adding, “He was an only child, alone. How am I supposed to live now?”

Marine Corps: "Plan to Investigate Accident Circumstances"

Criticism has been raised against the Marine Corps for recklessly deploying soldiers into fast currents without life jackets. In response, the 1st Marine Division explained the previous day, “The water was not deep when they entered, and we did not expect the ground to suddenly collapse in the low current.”

However, it was confirmed that soldiers conducting water search missions on an inflatable boat (IBS) during the missing persons search wore life jackets, but soldiers assigned to search along the riverbank, including Private Chae, did not wear them.

A Marine Corps official said, “The military investigative agency plans to investigate the circumstances of the accident,” adding, “The Marine Corps Safety Unit is currently inspecting and supplementing safety measures for units deployed in flood damage recovery operations.”

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