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A ship capsized off the coast of Busan, prompting the Coast Guard to conduct rescue operations. Pictured are the capsized tugboat at the accident scene and a cargo ship passing through the waters carrying out rescue efforts. / Yonhap News

A tugboat that departed to tow an accident-stricken vessel capsized and subsequently sank off the coast of Oryukdo Island in Busan. Among the eight crew members on board, one died, one was rescued, and six remain missing.

According to the Busan Coast Guard and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries on the 2nd, a report was received at around 1:29 p.m. that the 286-ton tugboat TNS Catcher had capsized in waters roughly 9 kilometers southeast of Oryukdo Island, Busan.

Eight crew members—six South Koreans and two foreign nationals—were on board the vessel. One Indonesian crew member was rescued by a nearby merchant ship. One South Korean crew member, presumed to be in their 50s or 60s, was found unconscious inside the capsized vessel and transported to a hospital, but was pronounced dead. The remaining six crew members are currently missing.

The TNS Catcher departed from the government vessel pier at Busan Port at approximately 10:15 a.m. that day. It was determined that the tugboat capsized while en route to tow a merchant ship that had suffered a maritime accident. The capsized vessel sank completely in waters about 87 meters deep at around 3:27 p.m. that day.

The Busan Coast Guard is conducting a search for the missing crew by deploying 13 vessels, including patrol boats and coastal rescue craft, alongside aviation units and the Central Special Maritime Disaster Response Team. Requests for support were also made to naval warships, government vessels, and civilian ships. The Coast Guard activated Level 3 of the Regional Rescue Headquarters and is investigating the exact circumstances of the accident.

                                                                                                           Seol So-young