The Coast Guard is searching for a missing person in connection with a helicopter crash that occurred in the waters southwest of Marado, Jeju Island.
According to the Jeju Regional Maritime Police Agency, a helicopter belonging to the Namhae Coast Guard Air Corps (S-92) crashed 370 km southwest of Marado, Daejeong-eup, Seogwipo-si, Jeju, around 1:32 am today (8th).
Captain Choi (47), who suffered multiple fractures in the accident, was transferred to Jeju by an Air Force helicopter and transferred to a hospital in Jeju City.
The Coast Guard also reported that the deceased first lieutenant colonel Jeong Mo (51) and ex-explorer Inspector Hwang Mo (28) will be transported to Busan using the Jeju Coast Guard helicopter.
A search is also underway to find the missing mechanic Cha Mo (42).
A Coast Guard patrol vessel is currently conducting a search at the site, and 7 Coast Guard patrol vessels, 4 aircraft and 4 naval warships, 1 South Sea Fisheries Management Group government vessel, and 2 civilian fishing vessels are moving to the site to support the search, the Coast Guard said. .
The helicopter crashed into the sea shortly after taking off to return to Busan after disembarking six members of the Central Maritime Special Rescue Team from the Coast Guard patrol vessel 3012, which was sent to the search for the Kyoto-1 (322t), where a distress report was received in Taiwan waters yesterday.
After the accident, the 3012 boarded a high-speed search and found three of the four occupants of the helicopter, but two were killed, one was injured, and one was missing.
In relation to the accident, Prime Minister Kim Bu-gyeom urgently instructed the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries and the Minister of National Defense and the Commissioner of the Coast Guard to do their best to save lives by mobilizing all available ships, aircraft, and fishing vessels, commercial vessels, and government vessels operating in the vicinity.
(Photo = Yonhap News)