September Sees Most Vessel Accidents in Mokpo Waters... Over Half Due to Poor Maintenance

191 Vessel Accidents Reported in September Over the Past 3 Years
Mokpo Coast Guard Boosts Patrols Along Passenger Routes and in Areas with High Concentrations of Fishing Boats

Over the past three years, September has seen the highest number of maritime vessel accidents within the Mokpo Coast Guard's jurisdiction. More than half of these incidents were caused by poor maintenance. In response, the Coast Guard plans to implement special safety management measures ahead of the fall fishing season and the Chuseok holiday, when maritime traffic typically increases.

According to the Mokpo Coast Guard on September 4, a total of 1,574 vessel accidents and 22 casualties were reported in the area over the past three years. Of these, 191 cases, or 12.2% of the total, occurred in September, averaging about 63.7 accidents per September. This is the highest monthly figure recorded.

Mokpo Coast Guard is conducting a rescue operation for people aboard a flooded vessel. Photo by Mokpo Coast Guard

Breaking down the September accidents by vessel type, fishing boats accounted for 104 cases, comprising more than half of the total. This was followed by tugboats and barges with 23 cases, and leisure vessels with 21 cases. By cause, poor maintenance led with 97 cases, followed by operational negligence with 50 cases and lack of management with 24 cases.

For instance, on September 2 last year, seawater entered the engine compartment of a motorboat northeast of Songido, Yeonggwang County, causing the engine to shut down. Shortly after the passengers evacuated, the boat capsized. In September 2023, a fishing boat attempting to avoid an aquaculture farm collided with another oncoming fishing boat.

Although there have been no direct casualties from vessel accidents in September over the past three years, situations that could lead to injuries or fatalities, such as capsizing and collisions, continue to occur. The Coast Guard expects the risk of accidents to increase this month as the fall peak fishing season brings more fishing vessels to sea, along with events like hairtail fishing in the Mokpo and Yeongam harbors and higher usage of passenger vessels during the Chuseok holiday period.

Accordingly, the Coast Guard plans to deploy patrol vessels intensively along passenger ship routes and in areas with concentrated fishing activity, and to increase deployments as necessary depending on maritime conditions. Safety patrols will also be strengthened at piers and in waters where hairtail fishing events are held. In coastal areas, preventive patrols will focus on accident-prone zones. The Coast Guard also intends to promote pre-departure inspections and maritime safety guidelines through electronic billboards, radio, social media, and safety education classes along the coast.

Choi Wonsik, Chief of the Mokpo Coast Guard, emphasized, "Please conduct thorough equipment inspections before departure and exercise special caution while operating vessels."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.