Coast Guard Helicopter Flight Time Limits Jeopardize the Golden Hour

Only 5 Rescues Succeeded Out of 96 Accidents in Distant Waters
Suh Samsuk: "Comprehensive Review Needed for Mid-Mission Refueling and Rescue System"

Seosamsuk, member of the Democratic Party of Korea.

As maritime accidents are becoming more frequent in distant waters, concerns have been raised that the three-hour operational limit of Korea Coast Guard helicopters is significantly undermining their ability to carry out rescues within the golden hour.

According to data submitted by Suh Samsuk, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea representing Yeongam, Muan, and Shinan in South Jeolla Province, to the National Assembly's audit on October 22, a total of 8,281 fishing vessel accidents occurred between 2023 and 2024, resulting in 153 people either dead or missing.

Criticism is mounting as it has been revealed that the short flight duration of helicopters and slow dispatch preparation have made it virtually impossible to conduct maritime rescue operations effectively.

In fact, from 2023 to September of this year, out of 96 search and rescue requests that occurred more than 100 kilometers offshore, Korea Coast Guard helicopters managed to rescue victims in only five cases, saving just nine out of a total of 145 people in distress.

This situation is attributed to the fact that, although the Commissioner General of the Korea Coast Guard is obligated under the Water Rescue Act to establish a master plan for protecting the lives and property of the public, the current aerial rescue system fails to overcome the limitations of response speed and operational range.

It takes an average of 25 minutes to prepare a helicopter for dispatch, and more than an hour to reach the accident site, resulting in frequent delays in initial response. Furthermore, an additional average of six minutes is required for mid-mission refueling after rescue operations, which delays the arrival of critically injured patients at hospitals, making it difficult to secure the golden hour. There is also criticism that the new large helicopters the Coast Guard is planning to introduce have a maximum flight time of only 4.8 hours, which is insufficient to resolve the issue of mid-mission refueling.

Suh Samsuk stated, "If it takes two hours just to make a round trip to the accident site, the actual time available for search and rescue activities is woefully inadequate," adding, "The lack of a mid-mission refueling system for the Coast Guard is not merely an equipment issue, but a collapse of the 'golden hour system' that protects the lives of the public."

Suh Samsuk further emphasized, "When introducing new helicopters in the future, there must be a comprehensive review and improvement of the entire aerial rescue system, including operational range, refueling methods, and the management of stopover points," and urged, "The Korea Coast Guard must establish measures to improve its long-distance rescue response system."

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