Search operations are underway for two crew members missing after a fishing vessel sank in a fire off the coast of Chagwi Island, Jeju. The Jeju Coast Guard reported that the incident occurred on the 14th when a fire broke out on the 29-ton vessel, G-boat, carrying ten crew members. While four crew members who suffered smoke inhalation were rescued and transported to the hospital, the two South Korean crew members presumed to be inside the vessel remain unaccounted for.

The blaze, which was reported around 10 A.M., took approximately seven hours to extinguish, with attempts hindered because the interior of the vessel was already 80% burnt. Emergency personnel and nine vessels arrived at the scene promptly but faced challenges entering the severely damaged G-boat due to the high flammability of its fiberglass construction. By 5:44 P.M., the G-boat was completely submerged, and night search efforts by the coast guard yielded no results in locating the missing individuals.

Concurrent to this incident, the Buan Coast Guard is also searching for an Indonesian crew member who reportedly fell overboard from a 500-ton vessel in the waters near Wangdeungdo, Jeonbuk. Search efforts are ongoing in this case as well, as they have yet to confirm the missing person's status. The two incidents shed light on the risks associated with the fishing industry in South Korean waters.