A 60-year-old captain vanished from a towing vessel near Chudo in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, prompting an intensive coast guard search operation into its third day.
Incident Details
Officials confirm the incident occurred aboard a towing ship with four crew members, en route from Jeju’s Oakpo Port to Sacheon Samcheonpo Port. The vessel departed around 9:30 p.m. the previous evening. At approximately 2:37 a.m. on April 3, crew members reported the captain was not visible during a shift change in the engine room.
The captain was last seen in the ship’s main engine compartment before disappearing. Authorities received the distress call shortly after and immediately launched response efforts.
Ongoing Search Efforts
Coast guard teams have mobilized 60 vessels and aircraft for concentrated searches around the Chudo waters. Resources include nine patrol boats, one helicopter, and three vessels from partner agencies. Operations continue despite plans to pause at sunset, focusing on expanding the search radius amid variable weather conditions.
A Tongyeong Coast Guard spokesperson stated, “Crew interviews confirm precise details of the incident. Investigators are probing circumstances while broadening searches in the vicinity.”
