A fishing vessel sank after colliding with an LPG tanker off the coast of South Korea, leaving one crew member dead and two others missing. Rescue operations remain underway as authorities investigate the circumstances of the accident.
The collision occurred at approximately 10:10 a.m. local time on June 25, around 23 nautical miles southeast of Daebyeon Port near Busan. According to the Korea Coast Guard, the 79-ton fishing vessel Dong-A No. 3 was struck by the 1,300-dwt LPG carrier Gas Broadway while the trawler was fishing.
The impact caused the fishing vessel to sink rapidly in waters about 140 meters deep, throwing all eight crew members into the sea. The crew consisted of two South Korean nationals, including the 62-year-old skipper, and six Indonesian fishermen.
The LPG tanker’s crew immediately launched a rescue operation and managed to pull six people from the water before transferring them to a Korea Coast Guard patrol vessel. All survivors were reported to be suffering from hypothermia and were taken to hospital.
The fishing vessel’s captain was among those rescued but later died after being transported to hospital. Two Indonesian crew members remain missing, prompting an extensive search involving Coast Guard vessels, helicopters, the Republic of Korea Navy, and other emergency agencies.
The Gas Broadway, which had departed Ulsan earlier that morning with 12 crew members on board, returned to port following the collision. No injuries were reported among the tanker crew.
Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the collision, and investigators are examining whether the fishing vessel’s crew were wearing appropriate safety equipment at the time of the accident.
