Marine who died in the line of duty during 'missing person search'... Military "Deep apologies to the bereaved family"

Marine Corps "Rest in peace to the fallen... Investigating the cause of the accident"
Deployed for search without life jackets... Swept away by strong currents and missing

The Marine Corps Command apologized for the accident in which a Marine soldier, who was deployed to search for missing persons at the flood site of Naeseongcheon in Yecheon-gun, Gyeongbuk, was swept away by a rapid current and died. It was revealed that the Marine Corps had ordered the search operation without life jackets, causing public outrage.

On the 20th, the Marine Corps stated to the Ministry of National Defense press corps, "We mourn the Marine who died in the line of duty during the heavy rain damage recovery operation," and "We offer our deepest condolences and apologies to the bereaved families." They added, "We also sincerely apologize to the public for causing concern."

Marine Corps personnel and firefighters are searching for a Marine soldier who went missing after being swept away by a rapid current during a search operation in the Yecheon-gun area of Gyeongbuk on the morning of the 19th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Currently, the Marine Corps investigation team is investigating the circumstances of the accident, and plans to proceed with follow-up measures with the highest honors for the fallen soldier. A Marine Corps official explained, "The Marine Corps Safety Unit is conducting a comprehensive inspection and making improvements regarding the safety aspects of the units deployed in the heavy rain damage recovery operation."

Earlier, on the 18th, Private A, aged 20, belonging to the 1st Division Artillery Battalion of the Marine Corps, who was deployed to the flood site in Yecheon, went missing around 9:10 a.m. the previous day while searching for missing persons and was swept away by a rapid current. Two fellow Marines who fell into the water with him managed to swim to safety, but Private A reportedly called for help saying "Save me," and was carried away by the current.

Private A was found 14 hours after going missing, at 11:08 p.m. the previous day, about 400 meters downstream on the right side of Gopyeong Bridge on Naeseongcheon in Yecheon-gun, Gyeongbuk. He was immediately transported to the Navy Pohang Hospital, where medical staff declared him deceased. The military authorities have been heavily criticized for deploying soldiers to the search operation without providing life jackets.

Meanwhile, President Yoon Suk-yeol urged the military authorities to ensure thorough safety measures in relation to the Marine's death. According to the presidential office, President Yoon received real-time reports on both the disappearance and death of Private A and emphasized to the military, "While finding the missing person is important, please do your best to ensure safety during the search process."

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