BUSAN — A 286-ton tugboat carrying eight crew members capsized in waters southeast of Oryukdo Island off Busan on the 2nd. The Coast Guard has rescued two people and is searching for the remaining six.
The Busan Coast Guard Station said it received a report at about 1:29 p.m. that the Busan-registered vessel A, a 286-ton towing tugboat, had capsized about 9 kilometers southeast of Oryukdo. Eight people were aboard, including six South Koreans and two foreign nationals.
The Busan Coast Guard declared a Level 2 alert for its regional rescue headquarters and issued an emergency call-up. It mobilized all available resources for the rescue operation, including 13 vessels such as patrol boats and coastal rescue craft, along with its aviation unit and the Central Special Sea Rescue Team. It also requested support from naval ships, government vessels and private boats.
During the search, one foreign crew member was found unconscious at 2:30 p.m. and was being transported to a nearby port by a coastal rescue boat. Another crew member was rescued by a merchant ship passing nearby, and the Coast Guard is confirming the person's identity and condition.
The Coast Guard is widening its search area to find the six missing crew members, but the operation has been hampered by northwesterly winds of 4 to 6 meters per second, waves of 1 to 1.5 meters and a current running northeast at about 0.5 knots.
