Sudden capsize of fishing boat prompts urgent rescue and investigation

[Anchor]

It is reported that the sinking accident occurred so suddenly that it was only after the boat capsized that they realized an accident had happened.

Fortunately, they were able to be rescued by barely hanging onto the propeller that was exposed above the water.

The sailor who was rescued first went back into the sea to save his colleagues.

Reporter Kang Tak-kyun will deliver the urgent rescue process.

[Report]

The dark sea before dawn.

When a report of a fishing boat capsizing was received, the Coast Guard rescue team advanced through the rough waves.

By the time the Coast Guard received the accident report, the boat had already capsized and started to sink, with only the lower part of the propeller barely visible above the surface.

The crew members were precariously hanging onto this propeller, waiting for rescue.

The Coast Guard had not yet arrived at the scene.

Crew members from nearby vessels desperately threw life buoys and began rescue efforts.

[Park Seong-kyu/Sailor of nearby vessel: "All 12 people were at the back of the boat, and after rescuing those 12, we checked for any more survivors and found 2 more, but unfortunately, that was how it happened."]

41-year-old Lee, who was the navigator of the accident vessel, immediately went back to the accident area after receiving only a brief examination.

This was to assist in the rescue operation for his missing colleagues.

[Jwa Won-bong/Head of the Field Response Team, Jeju Seobu Fire Station: "He knew the vessel well, so he said he would go to the scene to help with the rescue activities, so he went to the site."]

At the time of the accident, the wave height was relatively low of within 2 meters, so the investigation is focusing on finding the cause of how the large fishing vessel lost its stability so quickly.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor has also begun an investigation into potential violations of the Serious Accident Punishment Act related to this sinking accident.

This is KBS News, Kang Tak-kyun.