A Jeju-registered fishing vessel capsized near Taiwan, but all crew members were rescued thanks to nearby fishing boats that immediately rushed to the scene after receiving an emergency distress call.
According to the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives (SUHYUP), at approximately 9:45 PM on Monday, a 48-ton coastal longline fishing boat operating within China’s Exclusive Economic Zone began to capsize due to heavy swells.
The vessel, carrying 10 crew members, issued a distress call to nearby fishing boats. Upon receiving the distress call, the captain of Jinseongho 37 promptly alerted the Jeju Maritime Safety Authority at 10:05 PM.
The Safety Authority immediately coordinated rescue efforts with nearby fishing vessels and, considering the remote location of the accident, used satellite phones to relay information about the situation quickly.
Eight fishing boats that received the rescue request from the Jeju Safety Authority immediately halted their operations and rushed to the scene. Within about an hour, from 10:30 PM to 11:38 PM, all 10 crew members were successfully rescued.
The distressed vessel sank around 11:11 PM. The rescued crew members received emergency care on the assisting boats, and all were reported to be in good health.
The 10 crew members from the capsized boat will rest and recover aboard the Yeongshinho 621 and the Beomseongho 999. They plan to return to port once weather conditions improve.
SUHYUP reported that out of 334 major accidents last year, including collisions and capsizes, fishing vessels were first responders in 101 cases, successfully rescuing 496 individuals.