West Sea Coast Guard Agency Leads in Protecting Citizens' Lives During Lunar New Year Holiday

Helicopter Evacuates Island Residents... Rescues Drifting Ship and Conducts Pollution Control on Flooded Vessel

The West Sea Regional Coast Guard Agency (Chief Kim Inchang) took the lead in protecting the maritime safety and lives of the people during the four-day Lunar New Year holiday by dispatching a helicopter to transport an unconscious island resident to the mainland.

According to the West Sea Coast Guard on the 14th, during the holiday from the 9th to the 12th, they handled about 10 incidents and accidents and conducted marine pollution prevention activities.

The West Sea Coast Guard is airlifting an emergency patient from Yeosu Yeondo by helicopter.
[Photo by West Sea Regional Maritime Police Agency]

At around 6 p.m. on the 11th, a report was received that a man in his 90s living on Yeosu Yeondo was unconscious with vomiting, and the Coast Guard immediately ordered the patrol ship to move and urgently dispatched a Coast Guard helicopter.

The Coast Guard helicopter landed on Yeondo in the dark, rescued the patient and guardian, and transported them to the mainland to receive hospital treatment.

Earlier that day, at around 10 a.m., the West Sea Coast Guard received a report that a motorboat operating west of Gaedo, Yeosu, was drifting due to engine failure. They urgently dispatched a rescue boat, rescued all four passengers, and towed the boat to a nearby port.

Also, on the morning of the 10th, a 3-ton fishing vessel moored at a pier in Dolsando, Yeosu, was found to be sinking by a Coast Guard officer patrolling the Yeosu Sea Police Station, who immediately dispatched a rescue team and rescue boat.

There were no casualties as no crew members were on board, but oil leaked, forming a thin oil film on the surrounding sea. The Coast Guard promptly installed oil fences to block the spread of marine pollution and carried out containment operations.

Kim Inchang, Chief of the West Sea Coast Guard Agency, stated, “The Coast Guard operated a 24-hour emergency standby team during the holiday to prepare for any possible incidents or accidents, effectively working in a quasi-emergency mode. We will continue to do our best 24/7, year-round, to protect the lives and property of the people and to safeguard maritime sovereignty.”

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