On the night of December 21, a 59 ton fishing vessel (name not disclosed) became disabled in the Sea of Japan off the port of Imwon, South Korea. The fishing vessel with 2 crew members on board had suffered engine failure and gone adrift. The South Korea Coast Guard dispatched 2 patrol vessels along with a coastal rescue vessel from Imwon to assist. The vessels arrived on scene and took the fishing vessel under tow. The vessels proceeded back to Imwon safely. No reports of injuries, damage or pollution released.
On the afternoon of December 19, a 7.9 fishing vessel (name not disclosed) capsized in the Yellow Sea 13 kilometers north of Seonmido Island, Deokjeok-myeon, South Korea. Reports state the vessel had 5 crew members on board when it rolled over. Four of the 5 crew were rescued by a nearby vessel with one sustaining a head injury. The South Korean Coast Guard dispatched a helicopter which airlifted the injured crew member back to shore for medical treatment.
Photo: segye.com
Photo: segye.com
The Coast Guard launched a search and rescue operation for the missing crew member. Deploying several patrol boats, a hovercraft and aircraft to search the areas around were the fishing vessel had capsized. The cause of the capsizing was not disclosed.
On the morning of December 17, the 27 meter long fishing vessel QNa 91917-TS caught fire in the Gulf of Thailand approximately 110 nautical miles northeast of Da Nam Island, Vietnam. The QNa 91917-TS had been fishing for squid when a fire broke after an electrical short in the engine. The fire quickly spread through the vessel and could not be contained by the crew.
The QNa 91917-TS sent out a distress call with Vietnamese authorities responding. Authorities reached out to nearby fishing vessels to assist. The Ng 95454-TS, QNg 95179-TS, QNa 91234-TS, and PY 90779-TS responded and proceeded to the aid of the QNa 91917-TS. Before the fishing vessels could reached the stricken QNa 91917-TS, all 52 crew members were forced to abandon ship into life rafts before the vessel succumbed from the fire and sank. The 52 crew were rescued by the fishing vessels a short time later. The crew were later transferred to a Vietnamese Coast Guard vessel which proceeded to Song Tu Tay Island.
