<Anchor> The
disaster that was supported by the crashed Coast Guard helicopter occurred in Taiwan waters.
A tug with six Koreans on board went missing from Busan Port to Indonesia, and while the Taiwanese authorities are conducting a search, one of our patrol ships has also been dispatched to the local area.
Then, reporter Yoo Deok-gi reports.
<Reporter>
At around 9:50 am yesterday (7th), the Kyoto 1, a ship carrying six Korean nationals, sent a distress report in the waters of Taiwan.
It was 18 nautical miles west of Taiwan.
The Taiwan Maritime Search Authority notified the Korean government after receiving this report.
The Kyoto No. 1, which had an accident, was towing her attached ship, the Kyoto No. 2, while sailing from Busan Port to Batam Port, Indonesia.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "Kyoto-2 was found at the scene, but Kyoto-1 is presumed missing."
Taiwanese authorities are conducting a search by dispatching a patrol boat and helicopter to the scene immediately after receiving the distress report.
In addition, it has requested cooperation in the search from ships sailing in the vicinity.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs activated the Overseas Citizens Countermeasures Headquarters and on-site command headquarters, and the Korea Coast Guard dispatched a patrol vessel to the accident area.
The government said it would do its best to work closely with Taiwanese authorities to ensure that the search proceeds quickly and without any setbacks.