Search continues for two missing crew members of capsized fishing boat in Taean County
Published: 05 Dec. 2025, 10:08
![Crew members wait for rescue on top of a capsized fishing boat near Cheollipo, Taean County, South Chungcheong, at around 6:20 p.m. on Dec. 4. [TAEAN COAST GUARD]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2025/12/05/5f81ec59-dec7-41c8-9eac-fcc58074606c.jpg)
Crew members wait for rescue on top of a capsized fishing boat near Cheollipo, Taean County, South Chungcheong, at around 6:20 p.m. on Dec. 4. [TAEAN COAST GUARD]
TAEAN COUNTY, South Chungcheong — A large-scale search and rescue operation entered its second day Friday after a fishing boat capsized off the coast of Taean County, South Chungcheong, the previous evening.
According to the Taean Coast Guard, authorities mobilized extensive resources starting at 7 a.m. Friday, including 12 patrol vessels, three rescue boats, one Coast Guard rescue ship and four aircraft. Personnel from the Central Regional Coast Guard’s special forces, Taean Fire Station, Navy, Taean Police Precinct and the Army’s 32nd Division were also deployed in the ongoing operation to locate the missing crew members.
![A Coast Guard officer rescues a crew member who fell into the sea after a fishing boat capsized near Cheollipo, Taean County, South Chungcheong, at around 6:20 p.m. on Dec. 4. [TAEAN COAST GUARD]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2025/12/05/39aea222-af7f-4d34-b528-e39c6a6402e7.jpg)
A Coast Guard officer rescues a crew member who fell into the sea after a fishing boat capsized near Cheollipo, Taean County, South Chungcheong, at around 6:20 p.m. on Dec. 4. [TAEAN COAST GUARD]
The incident occurred at around 6:20 p.m. Thursday, when a 9.77-ton fishing vessel, registered in Incheon, turned over around 2.5 kilometers (1.6 miles) northwest of Cheollipo in rough seas. All seven people aboard, including the 40-year-old captain and a crew member in his 40s, fell into the ocean.
The Coast Guard rescued three crew members who had been drifting in the water, and recovered the bodies of two others, including a man in his 50s. The rescued individuals suffered from hypothermia but are in stable condition. The captain and the crew member in his 40s, however, remain missing.
At the time of the accident, a strong wind advisory and high seas warning were in effect, with waves reaching up to 2 meters (6.6 feet) and wind speeds of 10 to 12 meters per second (22.4 to 27 miles per hour). The severe weather hindered the Coast Guard's initial response.
![A Coast Guard officer rescues a crew member who fell into the sea after a fishing boat capsized near Cheollipo, Taean County, South Chungcheong, at around 6:20 p.m. on Dec. 4. [TAEAN COAST GUARD]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2025/12/05/058db80b-b1b2-4421-ba52-13273a3d0fb0.jpg)
A Coast Guard officer rescues a crew member who fell into the sea after a fishing boat capsized near Cheollipo, Taean County, South Chungcheong, at around 6:20 p.m. on Dec. 4. [TAEAN COAST GUARD]
“We usually head out with rescue boats, but the weather was too dangerous yesterday to deploy,” a member of a civilian maritime rescue team, which often assists in such emergencies, said.
Authorities suspended operations at 12:30 a.m. Friday due to worsening conditions but resumed the search at 7 a.m., 6 hours and 30 minutes later.
“Helicopters and small vessels cannot be operated safely at night, so we temporarily suspended operations and resumed them at sunrise,” a Taean Coast Guard official said. “All available personnel and equipment will be deployed to locate the missing individuals.”
Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, upon receiving reports of the incident, ordered authorities to “mobilize all available resources — patrol ships, aircraft, nearby fishing and commercial vessels — to rescue the missing” and emphasized ensuring the safety of rescue workers amid the dangerous weather conditions.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY SHIN JIN-HO [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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