SOUTH KOREA – Fatal Fire Erupts on Tanker and Cargo Ship in Yeosu

A fire broke out early Saturday morning aboard two vessels docked in the southern port city of Yeosu, resulting in one death and injuries to two crew members.

The incident occurred around 1:04 a.m., when a blaze ignited on a 2,692-ton oil tanker and a 24-ton cargo ship moored side by side. Crew members on a nearby vessel alerted the Yeosu Coast Guard, located approximately 320 kilometers south of Seoul.

Emergency responders managed to rescue all 18 individuals on board—14 from the tanker and four from the cargo vessel. However, the captain of the smaller ship was discovered unconscious and was later confirmed dead. Two foreign crew members from the tanker suffered burn injuries and received medical treatment.

Firefighters worked for several hours to control the flames, which were fully extinguished by 7:45 a.m. The exact cause of the fire has yet to be determined.

Authorities reported that the tanker was carrying roughly 2,500 tons of toxic chemicals. As of Saturday morning, officials had not confirmed whether any of the hazardous material had leaked into the sea.

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