S. Korea: Fatal fishing boat accident raises questions over safety & need for vessel modifications
[Unofficial translation provided by the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre]
“12 crew members missing in geumseongho sinking: company faces investigation under serious accident law”, 9 November 2024
Two crew members have died and twelve are missing following the sinking of a fishing boat off the coast of Jeju…with 15 others rescued by nearby vessels.
…It is believed that the crew may have attempted to compensate for a recent slump in catch due to adverse weather conditions over the past few days.
… The sinking was initially reported not via the Vessel Traffic Service (VTS), but by nearby ships, raising concerns that communication equipment on board may have malfunctioned.
…If the crew overexerted themselves in an attempt to increase their catch or if the vessel had been modified in such a way that it reduced its stability, the shipping company may be held legally accountable. A representative from the Gwangju Regional Labour Office's Jeju Industrial Accident Prevention Team said: "The incident falls under the scope of the Serious Accident Punishment Act, and we will investigate in accordance with maritime safety regulations."
In a separate report from News1, a spokesperson from Geumseong Fisheries, the shipowner, stated: "The local crew members, who have endured a difficult few days of investigations by the coastguard, were immediately taken to hospital." The spokesperson also explained that "foreign crew members are facing urgent visa-related issues, but will receive treatment tomorrow once those matters are resolved."