[News Today] RISKY NOCTURNAL SHELL GATHERING

[LEAD]
With the vacation season, visitors collecting clams and octopus on mud flats are also on the rise. Two people died during nighttime sea-foraging in Boryeong, Chungcheong-namdo Province, raising alerts to adhere to safety measures as told, like checking tidal schedules and wearing life jackets.

[REPORT]
The mud flat at this beach is crowded with visitors despite the rain.

It's a location known for collecting seafood and shellfish due to the bountiful catch of clams, conches and octopus.

However it's hard to find anyone wearing protective gear such as a life vest.

The tide has shifted and water level is rising but few people leave.

Kim Jin-hak / Fishing village chief
Despite loudspeaker broadcasts, people refuse to come out of the water.
This explains the frequent accidents.

At this place on Monday night, tragedy struck as two men in their 40s who were gathering marine products drowned.

One person was found on the beach and the other, between the rocks near Dokdaeseom Island at the beach's end in cardiac arrest.
Both were taken to hospital but died.

Witness / (VOICE MODIFIED)
The waves were high reaching up to my waist. I was going to go in
but gave up. It was dangerous. The men went in early at about 8 p.m.

At the time of the incident, the rising tide was at its highest level and strong wind and wave advisories were also in effect.

Eun Su-yeong / Boryeong Coast Guard
Visitors must wear a life vest, stay in a team of 2 and immediately stop their
activity and move to a safe site when weather alerts are issued.

People are advised to refrain from nighttime gathering of shellfish because of the high risk of accidents as they tend to lose sense of time and direction.