Fishing Vessel in Distress Near Dokdo Amid Worsening Weather... Donghae Maritime Police Safely Rescue All 5 Crew Members

The Donghae Maritime Police Station in Gangwon Province announced on the 10th that it had safely rescued a fishing vessel that had been drifting near Dokdo due to debris entangling its propeller amid worsening weather conditions.

According to the Donghae Maritime Police, they received a report at around 7:22 a.m. the previous day from a 24-ton fishing vessel operating approximately 5 kilometers northwest of Dokdo, stating that “debris has become entangled in the propeller, making navigation impossible.”

Upon receiving the report, the maritime police immediately dispatched a large patrol vessel to the scene. However, rough seas and deteriorating weather conditions in the accident area made initial access difficult. Until the rescue vessel arrived, the maritime police maintained continuous communication with the fishing vessel, checked the health of the five crew members, and managed their safety in real time to prevent any secondary accidents.

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The patrol vessel that arrived on the scene waited until the weather improved and then, at 3:38 p.m. the previous day, safely removed the debris entangled in the propeller. No particular issues were found during the subsequent test run. The vessel resumed navigation on its own, and it was reported that all five crew members were in good health.

Commissioner Kim Hwan-gyeong stated, “In offshore accidents, managing the situation before arriving on site and taking safety measures in consideration of weather conditions are most important.” He added, “We will continue to do our utmost to ensure that the public can feel safe anywhere at sea by providing prompt and safe rescue operations.”

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