Three Missing Motorboat Passengers Rescued Safely Near Chojido, Incheon

【Financial News, Incheon = Reporter Han Gap-su】 Three motorboat passengers who went missing after leaving Wangsan Beach in Incheon were safely rescued after a nighttime search by the coast guard.
Incheon Maritime Police Station announced on the 10th that it had rescued all three passengers aboard the motorboat in waters near Chojido that morning.
According to the coast guard, the three passengers left Wangsan Beach in Incheon at around 12:30 p.m. on the 9th aboard a 0.28-ton motorboat. They last spoke with their family at around 7:10 p.m. that day, after which contact was lost. The family reported them missing to the coast guard at around 10:30 p.m.
After receiving the report, Incheon Maritime Police Station immediately set up a regional rescue headquarters and mobilized all available resources for the search. It deployed three aircraft, 19 patrol vessels, and three vessels from related agencies. Using a sea current prediction system, it carried out an intensive nighttime search around waters near Chojido and Jawoldo.
At 6:12 a.m. on the 10th, patrol vessel P-78 found the missing passengers in waters near Chojido and rescued them safely.
At the time of the rescue, the passengers showed symptoms of hypothermia, but their lives were not in danger. The coast guard handed them over to firefighters, and they were taken to a hospital for treatment. The capsized motorboat was recovered by a coast guard vessel and moved to a dedicated pier.
During questioning, the passengers reportedly said that shortly after their last call with family, they were hit by strong waves, and seawater entered the boat, causing it to capsize.
It was also confirmed that all three passengers were wearing life jackets at the time of the accident. The coast guard believes that the relatively warm seawater temperature of 25.8 degrees Celsius and the life jackets helped them survive for an extended period at sea.
Yang Jong-ta, chief of the Incheon Maritime Police Station, said, "Even when enjoying water leisure activities at short distances, unexpected accidents can happen. Please make sure to check safety equipment before departure and make wearing life jackets a habit."

[email protected] Han Gap-su Reporter