Overview

• At around 1:04 a.m. on August 16, a fire erupted aboard a 2,692-ton oil tanker and an adjacent 24-ton cargo vessel moored at Sinbuk Port in Yeosu.
• The Yeosu and Korea Coast Guard rescued all 18 crewmembers but found the cargo vessel’s captain unconscious; he later died and two tanker crew members sustained burn injuries.
• Firefighters worked through the morning until approximately 7:45 a.m. to fully extinguish the blaze without immediate access to the tanker’s storage tanks.
• Authorities reported the tanker was carrying about 2,500 tons of toxic chemicals and have not yet confirmed any spill into surrounding waters.
• Officials have opened a full investigation into the origin of the blaze and will assess potential environmental threats from the onboard chemicals.